Wraith Hunt: THe Mitchell Files 9
by Neuropsych
Summary: COMPLETE! Mitchell's hunting the Wraith but others are hunting her crossover eventually with SG1 once more rated for violence and language and who knows what else
1. 01

**Wraith Hunt: The Mitchell Files 9**

_Author's Note: So! This one starts off more or less where the last one ended. There's a lot of made up technology in this one – especially since in the series we don't have a lot of info about the technology or background about the Wraith – and since I live in the US I'm behind on the episodes that the UK is already watching. So if it doesn't sound realistic, and if the series goes a different direction eventually, I'm sorry! Hehe_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything I didn't make up._

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"It's not too late to change your mind… We can always turn this place into a Mok breeding center…"

Mitchell smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation, and shook her head as she and Sheppard hauled the last load of supplies off the Jumper and down the lava tube that led to the main cavern of Talonopolis.

"It needs to be done."

"But you shouldn't have to do it alone."

"I haven't."

That was true enough; there'd been a dozen people that helped her build the secret lab, and even more had helped gather supplies together for her – including several of the Light Ones, who had surprised her and the rest of the Atlanteans by showing up with far more supplies than they'd been expecting.

Sheppard was quiet, and the two of them walked the rest of the way in a comfortable silence. When he dropped the last load off in the well-lit cavern, he looked at her again.

"Is there anything you want me to tell Beckett?"

"Can you think of anything to tell him that would make him not worry?"

He shook his head, and she smiled – although there was no humor in it. She knew Carson was going to worry about her, and knew she'd hurt him when she'd refused to let him come with her and Sheppard this final time. She'd just wanted to keep from hurting him worse by sending him away at the end of the day.

_Or you didn't want to hurt yourself…_

That, too.

She couldn't argue with Talon; he knew her too well.

"Come on, I'll walk you out."

Empty handed, the two of them walked back down the lava tube, both of them quiet as they contemplated what Mitchell was facing now. She called it a Wraith hunt, but really it was a hunt for Wraith _technology_, not the Wraith. The only problem with that was that the Wraith weren't just going to hand over a dart and other things like that to her, so she was pretty much going to have to steal it. And kill anything that got in her way – which was bound to piss off the other Wraith.

When they reached the exit – or entrance, depending on which way you were heading – Sheppard offered Mitchell his hand.

"If you need me, call, and I'll come running."

She nodded.

"I'll keep in contact as much as I can, Major. Once I have a dart, I'll send you guys as much information on it as we can get out of it – and even a driver's manual."

Sheppard grinned.

"You do that."

She walked with him to the ramp, and waited until it closed again before moving out of the way. The Jumper lifted off the ground, and turned – a tricky maneuver in the ravine, but Sheppard was a skilled pilot – and she saw him at the controls. He tossed her a casual salute that she returned, and a moment later the Jumper vanished, heading back to the Stargate.

_Alone at last_

She snorted, and headed back into the lava tube. There were a few things she needed to get situated and then she'd take the rest of the day to herself – to relax and consider her best course of action – and the next morning, she and Talon would head for the Stargate. On foot. They had a Jumper of their own, powered down and hidden under a heavy canopy of leaves and brush, but she was planning on having a dart by the time she returned, and even a good pilot can only fly one craft at a time. Which meant hiking to the gate, and wherever else they wanted to go.

_Yeah, well… the walking will do you good. You're getting fat_

Mitchell grinned again. One thing about it; even though she was alone, now, she definitely wasn't alone. Talon would do everything he could to keep her from getting lonely, even if it meant teasing her outrageously. Which he was more than happy to do.

Smart ass.

_Tubby_

I'm not fat… just…

_Big boned?_

Yeah.

Now it was Talon's turn to snort in amusement, and Melony smiled again, running her hand along her flat stomach just a little self-consciously. Yeah, she wasn't fat – and never had been – but she wasn't looking forward to a lot of walking. Which meant she'd have to steal a dart quickly. And hopefully on the first try, before the Wraith realized what was happening.

OOOOOOOOOO

The Jumper bay wasn't empty when he returned, but Sheppard wasn't surprised. Nor was he surprised that those who were waiting for him all had varying degrees of concern and anxiety on their faces.

Carson looked the most concerned – no surprise to anyone there. Not only was he the closest to Mitchell, he was also the worst at hiding his feelings and they all knew it. Weir and Rodney McKay both looked concerned, too – Rodney actually looked as if he were going to be sick; pale and a little green – but it was obvious they were trying to pretend they weren't so worried, to keep Carson from worrying. Which wasn't working.

"How did it go?" Weir asked when Sheppard came out of the rear of the Jumper.

He shrugged.

"Smooth. She said she'd keep in touch as much as she can."

"How are we going to know if she needs help?" Ford asked. He'd known Mitchell the longest out of anyone there – actually had known her before she came to Atlantis.

Sheppard shrugged.

"We'll just have to wait and see what happens. She said she'd let us know how the first try turned out, and that'll begin tomorrow."

"I _hate_ waiting…" Rodney said.

"Me, too…"

"It doesn't matter," Sheppard said, before Weir could. The two of them had had this discussion with each other already, knowing that some of the younger, more impatient members of the expedition might start clamoring to go help Mitchell – which sounded good on paper, but was a very bad idea in reality – and they knew they needed to stand together against that. Any help they'd give would have to wait until Mitchell knew what kind of help she'd need. Until then, they had duties of their own to take care of. Like finding a power supply to get word back to the SGC about the Wraith and maybe get back up sent – or better yet, some replacements and resupplies.

"We have wait until we hear from her. Then we'll see…"

They'd have to wait, but he was as anxious as everyone else, and when word came, her help would be there as soon as she asked for it.


	2. 02

**Earth**

"What's bothering you?"

Jack looked up from the breakfast he wasn't eating and saw Daniel coming over to sit across from him. The archeologist was looking at him with worried blue eyes, and Jack scowled.

"Nothing."

"Yeah, right."

He scowled again – or maybe the first scowl never faded.

"Mind your own business, Daniel."

"Is it Sam?"

"What?"

"Is that what has you so annoyed?"

"No."

Jack didn't want to talk about Sam. He was still putting off that heart to heart that he'd been told to have with her, and for the same reasons as before. But that wasn't Daniel's business – even if he _was_ Jack's friend.

"Then it's Melony."

Jack's scowl deepened. How the hell did he know these things?

"It's not-"

"I'm sure she's fine."

He sighed, and gave up the act.

"We don't _know_ she's fine, Daniel. We don't know anything."

And that was the heart of the problem. He was so frustrated and worried that it had been eating at him day by day and week by week since Mitchell had left. He didn't know she was okay. All he knew was that she had Talon and that they hadn't heard from her, yet. It'd been months, now, and he was about to blow up. And everyone around him knew it – and everyone avoided him, now, except for Daniel, Teal'c and Sam.

"_Fuglier_ is still intact, Jack," Daniel told him – for about the millionth time.

"That doesn't mean anything."

"It means everything." Daniel objected. "You know if she was dead that ship would explode, too. She told you that."

"It could just be too far away from her to know…"

Since this was an argument he and Daniel had already had a dozen times a month they both knew how it was going to end, so they just both fell silent, brooding.

"We've got to figure out a way to get to her. To _them_."

"We're still waiting to hear from the Asgard."

Jack's scowl returned. The Asgard had been absolutely no help at all to them, and they both knew it. Of course, they also both knew the Asgard were fighting a battle with something else, somewhere far away – although the little gray aliens wouldn't tell them what or where – and wouldn't unless they ended up needing help.

"I'm tired of waiting. Send word to the Tok'ra – and to Tao. I want to hold a conference with both and see if they can think of anything we can do – or if they know where any of the ZPMs might be."

Daniel shrugged; it was as good an idea as any – if Tao would accept a summons from O'Neill. Of course, Melony's First Prime was hard to read sometimes – _all_ the time – so you never knew how he would react to something.

"I'll do that."

Jack nodded, and looked down at his cold breakfast.

"Do it."

OOOOOOOOO

**Talonopolis**

"I'm not playing chess with you."

_Come on…_

"No, you cheat."

_I do not_

"You read my mind to see where I'm going to move…"

_That's not cheating_

Mitchell snorted in disbelief.

"What do you call it, then?"

_Taking advantage of opportunity_

"Whatever."

She was _supposed_ to be spending the day trying to relax. It was impossible to relax if you were losing at chess – or trying to keep your moves out of your mind while at the same time trying to figure out your strategy so you wouldn't lose.

She could feel Talon pouting, but ignored it, knowing he was just trying to make her feel guilty for not wanting to play.

"I'm going to bed."

_You're not tired_

"Yes, I am."

_Why don't we go see the Mok?_

Talon never got enough of the Mok, and now that he and Mitchell were the only two on the planet with them, he didn't think she should mind too much spending a few hours looking at them – and maybe running her hands through their soft fur. They were supposed to be relaxing, after all. Getting ready for the Wraith hunt, but unable to do anything until the next day, since they didn't want to go to A-14 when it was the middle of the night there.

Melony smiled, and shrugged.

"Sure. Why not?"

She liked the creatures as much as Talon did – even though they were far more legendary to him than they were to her.

_Good!_

And the hike down the tunnel would give her something to do to keep herself occupied and not allow her to dwell on the next few days – or weeks.

Even better.


	3. 03

**Atlantis**

"So… want to go let me kill you a few times?"

Carson looked over at McKay, who had come to the infirmary – presumably for an aspirin, although he'd stuck around long after swallowing the tablets, watching as Beckett and his staff did a quick inventory of their supplies.

"War games, you mean?"

McKay nodded.

"You might as well stay in shape, and it'll give me someone to stalk that I actually have a chance of killing."

To Rodney's surprise, Beckett actually seemed to think about it for a minute, but then he shook his head.

"No, thanks. I don't feel like it."

McKay frowned.

"Are you sure? It'll be fun. Maybe we could get Major Sheppard and Teyla to come…"

Carson shook his head again, this time with a slight smile. He knew what McKay was trying to do, and he really appreciated it, but he didn't feel like getting stalked and killed just then, and there was really no way he'd be able to avoid it – he wasn't all that great at the whole stalking through the halls things, just yet, no matter how patient Melony had been trying to teach him.

He sighed, wondering what she was doing just then. It had to be pretty late, there. Maybe she was asleep. He wished she was there with him – or he was with her. He'd play the war games with her, if she'd asked.

"How about a game of chess?" McKay asked, breaking into Carson's brooding. "I'll let you win."

Talk about an offer! Beckett smiled, touched, and shook his head again.

"I'll take a rain check."

"I'm sure she's fine, you know…" Rodney said, softly, showing a side of him that he rarely allowed to show. "She's probably soaking in that hot pool that they were telling us about, hanging out with the Mok and thinking of new ways of torturing us with training scenarios when she gets back."

"If she gets back," Carson said.

"She'll be back," McKay said, confidently, with a little annoyance showing in his expression and his tone. "She wiped out the _Goa'uld_ for God's sake. You don't understand what that took. It's not like she wiped out the Monarch butterfly population of Hoosegow, Indiana or something."

Carson looked at Rodney mournfully, and the astrophysicist felt another flare of annoyance.

"Look. You weren't around for it," he said, pulling Carson away from the main room and into a little side area. "You don't _understand_. She's a lot more dangerous than you'd ever believe just by watching her around here. The Wraith are the ones that you should feel bad for, because with Talon and her after them – and my help with the technological part – there's no way she's going to fail. It just might take a little bit. And it's not going to help her if you just sit around and worry about her – or mope, which is even worse. All you're going to do is make yourself sick, or drive us crazy." Now come on. We'll go get Sheppard, and Ford, and maybe even Zalinka, and go kill each other."

Carson sighed, but he allowed Rodney to pull him out of his infirmary, feeling a little better than he had been. If McKay thought so highly of her chances, then maybe he shouldn't give up on her just yet… how often was McKay wrong, after all?

OOOOOOOOOOOO

**A-43**

"You know, we're not _really_ supposed to be here…"

Kale shook his head, looking around the ancient city with interest, but ignoring the plaintiff whining of his companions.

"We're not _forbidden_, Char. We just never come here. It's not the same thing. The Council _said_ we could explore it."

"I don't like it here," Kellan said from behind Kale.

The Light One reached back and took his twin sister's hand, squeezing it cheerfully. His sister had only recently returned to the main colony of Light Ones, and he'd missed her greatly.

"Don't worry; there's nothing here that can hurt you. I've been here twice, now."

"With Colonel Mitchell," Char confirmed, smiling. "She's the one who-"

"Yes, I know," Kellan interrupted. "I've heard _all_ about her." The teasing was good-natured, though, and she really did wish that she'd had a chance to meet Mitchell – who all the Light Ones had been telling her about – and Elizabeth Weir, who _Kale_ had been waxing about almost nonstop.

There were smiles all around, and the small group of Light Ones continued through the deserted city that their ancestors had once inhabited, looking through the occasional empty building, exploring it as Kale had promised Mitchell that he would, and making their way steadily toward the large building that held the Stargate.

OOOOOOOOOO

The building was one of many. Nondescript and made of sun baked clay bricks like all the ones around it, it was no larger than one of the smaller caves that the Light Ones inhabited up on their mountains, and it was only coincidence that Char stuck his head in it at all, since he was getting tired of looking into one empty building after another, and there was nothing about this one from the outside that told him it would be any different from any of the others.

It was, though.

There were shelves lining the far wall of the building – which was different in itself –but the shelves were covered with some kind of protective substance that was almost see through but not quite, giving the young Light One the chance to see the outline of several bottle-looking things, although he wasn't sure what they were really from that distance.

"Hey, come check this out," he called to his companions as he walked into the room, heading for the far wall.

"What is it?" Kale asked, his tall frame blocking the light from entering the room and casting Char in shadows.

"I don't know. Move."

The Light Ones had exceptional vision, but it was still easier to see when there was plenty of light.

Char moved the protective covering aside, and made a curious noise. The bottles, or whatever they were, were definitely glass of sort – although the Light Ones didn't have many glass blowers in their numbers they had enough that they knew what it was – and a couple of them seemed to be lit up from the inside, practically pulsing with power.

"What do you think it is?" Kellan asked.

Char shrugged.

"It's out of the ordinary, though, and isn't that what Colonel Mitchell asked you to look for?" He asked Kale.

"Yeah. Why don't we contact the Atlanteans and see what they can make of it?"

"Are you certain we should bother them for something like this?"

Since Kale would have jumped at any reason to bother them, he nodded.

"It could be something they find interesting."


	4. 04

**Undesignated Planet**

This place sucks.

_Agreed_

The first planet they were going to try to find the Wraith on was a planet that was hot and humid, filled with trees and swamps and all sorts of stinging insects that were apparently hell bent on trying to eat Melony alive one nibble at a time. The only good thing was that she didn't have to worry about picking up some obscure disease from a sting – hopefully.

She'd been miserable from the moment she'd emerged from the gate, and Talon was the only one she had to complain to – and because they weren't sure where the Wraith were (if there were Wraith on the planet) – she couldn't even complain aloud. Which was usually the best part about complaining in the first place.

Not even the Wraith could want to live in such a shit-heap…

Talon's amusement did nothing to ease her annoyance, especially as she silently slapped yet another bug.

They'd spend three days here, looking for the Wraith. That was how much she'd brought in supplies in the small pack she was carrying. After those three days, if they didn't find any sign of them – preferably in the form of a small scouting party – Mitchell would go back to Talonopolis and repack, and then they'd head to another of the several planets they had to choose from. They were half counting on the fact that the Wraith could sense her – although this wasn't going to be at all like the first Wraith hunt she'd gone on. This time, if and when they found the Wraith, she was going to kill them as quickly as she could instead of study them. She wasn't after them. Only their technology. And as far as she knew, she didn't need them alive to use it.

OOOOOOOOO

**Melonyville**

The planet was just as deserted, dry and hot as Jack remembered it being. And just as barren. And it reminded him of the last time he'd been there – with Melony, who had at that time been happy and whole, and fresh off her defeat of the Goa'uld with no idea that the hardest part was still to come with the loss of Brad Anderson. Jack felt a pang as he thought of it, remembering just how cocky she'd looked that day – and then how lost she'd looked the day of Brad's funeral. He wondered where she was, then, and what she was doing. And the thought made him that much more determined to find a way to get to her and find out.

"This place is just like I remember it…"

Jack looked over at Daniel, who was looking around – almost as if expected Melony to come out of the middle of nothingness to come and talk to them, like she had a few times before.

"It's a shit heap," Jacob said from the other side. The Tok'ra wasn't exactly sure what good he was going to do here in the meeting to come, but he and the rest of the Tok'ra already knew they owed Melony and Talon all the help they could give – and if that meant helping the Tau'ri find their lost Colonel, then that's what they'd do. Jacob was there to see what that might be.

"It's perfect for what we're doing," Sam told her dad.

They had a meeting scheduled with Tao. And then they were going to invade Melony's secret lab and give Sam a chance to sift through all the notes Melony and Talon might have left – looking for anything that might tell them how they could get Fuglier to work for them – and maybe upgrade her engines to take them to another galaxy in record time.

"It's-"

Jacob was interrupted by the arrival of a small Goa'uld craft – although the Jaffa weren't calling it a Goa'uld ship anymore. Now it was a _Jaffa_ ship – a Liberator. A small fighter that was used when the Mitchell's Jaffa found any resistant Goa'uld populations that hadn't accepted the final treaty Melony had organized before she'd headed for Atlantis. These Goa'uld were given a choice. Free the people they enslaved – including the Jaffa – or suffer the wrath of Talon. The answer was always the same, and the Liberators were the first ships to attack the mother ships. This didn't happen often – there weren't that many Goa'uld left – but it did happen, and even though Melony wasn't there any more, her armies were constantly growing – as were the hordes of people who worshipped her for the very fact that she'd liberated the Jaffa, who had in turn liberated them.

"There's Tao," Daniel said, unnecessarily.

As they watched, the small craft landed, and the front hatch opened. Out of the ship came a single Jaffa warrior, dressed in a traditional mantle of silver chain mail and leather leggings. He was carrying a staff weapon, but it was obvious that he hadn't come looking for a fight. Tao knew these people, and knew how Talon and his host felt about them. They were friends. _Her_ friends, and that made them his allies. And truthfully, Tao knew enough about the Tau'ri that he would much rather have them as allies than enemies, anyways.

"O'Neill."

As visitor – although it was neutral ground – Mitchell's First Prime spoke first. He was huge; just as big as Teal'c and maybe even broader in the chest. The golden seal on his forehead was a symbolized eagle – close enough to the eagle that Mitchell herself favored that Tao felt it was always a sign he'd been the first First Prime Mitchell had taken over.

"Tao." Jack gave the Jaffa a slight bow, using his customs instead of their own – which was designed to remind him that they held him in high esteem. "I'm glad you could come."

"If it is pertaining to Talon and his host, then it is my duty to come and render whatever assistance I might be able to."

Which was his way of asking them what they wanted.

Daniel spoke up.

"Yeah… let's have a seat and talk about that, shall we?"

He gestured to a small grouping of rocks that they'd used as chairs before – although this time there was nothing to give them shade from the sun. The Jaffa would never admit to being uncomfortable, though, and the others didn't think they'd be there long enough to get too sore. The meeting with Tao was just a grasping of straws in the dark.

Tao nodded, and the group moved over to the rocks.

OOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

Alarms were going off all over the command room, and Sheppard ran into the room, tossing on his Kevlar vest and holster.

"What's going on?" He asked Weir; even though he could see for himself that the gate was dialing in.

"We're getting company," Elizabeth answered. Her voice was steady, although it was tense. They didn't have anyone offworld just then.

"Is it Mitchell?"

"We don't know."

The gate finished dialing, activating behind the shimmering shield of energy that protected Atlantis from invasion, and Weir and Sheppard both looked at Grodin, who was studying the laptop in front of him.

"No signal, yet."

Sheppard gestured to the security teams below him, and they all raised their weapons, ready. He nodded to Weir, who sighed and hoped that she wasn't making a huge mistake.

"Lower the shields."

A moment later several tall, and very naked forms came through the Stargate, and Weir breathed a deep sigh of relief. One that was echoed by Sheppard and most members of the security force – although they didn't lower their weapons and wouldn't until they'd been ordered to.

Kale looked up at the woman standing by Sheppard and smiled.

"Elizabeth. We found something that you might find interesting…"


	5. 05

**Undesignated Planet**

What do you suppose _they're_ doing here?

In the two days she and Talon had been wandering around this place, Mitchell had pretty much decided that the entire place was one big swamp, and couldn't imagine that anything lived there except the nonstop insects. They'd seen a few snakes, and some birds and other stuff, but nothing bigger than that, and nothing dangerous – and definitely no Wraith.

Until the third day when they were on their way back towards the gate. Only the fact that she'd heard them before they'd come into sight had kept her from walking right into them.

Wraith. A lot of them.

_More importantly, do we ambush them_?

Which was a very bad idea, really – since there were at least ten of them and only one of her. But they also had three darts with them, and that was a load of chances to check out their technology.

She shook her head. It was one thing to go looking for a Wraith – or two or _maybe_ even three – but ten was too much. She wanted to get home alive with the dart that she stole.

No. We'll find less somewhere else, or we can wait for these guys to separate – if they do.

Talon sent wordless agreement, and Mitchell stayed low, almost hugging the swampy ground to avoid being possibly spotted by the Wraith. What she hadn't counted on – and neither had Talon – was the fact that because of Talon, Melony stood out like a beacon to the aliens, her life force so powerful that even the Athosians had no trouble feeling it. And they didn't eat life force for breakfast.

First one dred-locked head turned her direction and then another. Two more turned to follow the gaze of the first, and Mitchell's left hand tightened on her zat while the right hand – which held a nasty piece of Goa'uld technology – flexed slightly.

Did they hear me?

_You didn't make any noise_

It didn't matter, though, because there was no mistaken the purposeful way all the Wraith were heading their direction. Something had given them away, and Melony swore under her breath, and stood up, allowing Talon to take over.

Her right hand came up in a 'stop' gesture, and stunned by the sudden appearance of a human, the Wraith actually all hesitated a step or two. It was all it took. A powerful force ripped out from the device on her palm, slamming into the Wraith like a wall and knocking them all backwards to the ground. Several in the front didn't rise again, but four of them had been partially shielded by their companions, and had only been stunned. These four scrambled quickly to their feet, roars of hatred and who knew what else bursting from their throats as they charged her.

The zat burst into life, even as Mitchell's right hand swung around for another go with the Goa'uld device. The Wraith weren't attacking as a group, this time, though. They'd separated just enough that she couldn't get them all with the next blast of energy – although there was no way they could have known that. Two went down in a heap and didn't rise, and the zat hit one three times in quick succession – causing it to vanish. The third Wraith bowled into Mitchell at full speed, and slammed backwards as the personal shielding device – another piece of Goa'uld technology that Mitchell had at her disposal – activated at the touch, keeping the dangerous contact from happening.

"What _are_ you!" The Wraith screamed, shocked by the speed and ferocity of Mitchell's defense.

Pretending she didn't know what he was, Mitchell aimed the zat at him.

"What are _you_?"

Talon countered in his deep voice. There was always a chance that somehow this was being recorded, and she absolutely couldn't take the risk that the Atlanteans might be blamed for what she was about to do. The Wraith looked stunned for a moment by the deep voice, but he recovered quickly, sneering.

"_Wraith_. Destroyer of civilizations and countless multitu-"

"Yeah, yeah. What _are_ you, though?" He asked. "What do you do?"

"What are you?" The Wraith countered, this time. Obviously trying to buy time to see if his companions would rise to help him, or to see if there was a weakness he could exploit. Melony and Talon didn't intend to give him any opportunity.

"I am Talon," He told the Wraith, just as arrogantly as any system lord might have – and hey, he _was_ the most powerful of the lot, right? "I am Goa'uld."

The Wraith's eyes narrowed.

"The Goa'uld are a _myth_. They do not exist."

Doesn't that sound familiar?

She fired the zat, knocking him flat on his back, and walked over to stand over him.

"Did that feel real, Wraith?" Talon asked.

The Wraith roared in anger – getting over the zat stun far quicker than any human or Goa'uld could have – and lunged to his feet. Talon had had enough though. He'd made the mistake once of underestimating the Wraith and it had almost killed Melony. He wouldn't do it again. The zat discharged once more, flattening the Wraith before he could get himself completely upright. And a moment later the third shot disintegrated him.

"Wow…"

_Indeed_

Shocked by just how quickly things had happened – it was no more than a minute from the first attack to the last shot – Mitchell couldn't waste any time. She felt Talon give her back full control of her body, and promptly started searching the downed Wraith, stripping them of anything that looked technological or like a weapon – and then one by one zatted them; unwilling to risk them regenerating and returning to wreak havoc on her when she least expected it.

When the last one vanished, she took a deep breath and looked around.

"Three darts and a pile of stuff. Not bad for the first planet…"

_We were lucky there weren't more_

Yeah. Let's check the ships out.

OOOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

"Kale."

Elizabeth couldn't help but smile – in relief she told herself. She was glad that they weren't an enemy they'd have to fight.

Yeah. Right. No one would have bought that – including her.

The Light On smiled as well, his hand reaching out to touch her cheek.

"Elizabeth. It is a pleasure to see you again."

"Hey, Kale," Sheppard said, looking just a little uncomfortable. Of course, that probably had something to do with the whole naked aliens standing right beside them while one of them obviously was remembering the last time he'd been here, since he was having a definite reaction to Weir's company.

The Light One turned to Sheppard, who kept his eyes up, and smiled a greeting, turning and gesturing for the others to step forward as well.

"We were looking through the Ancient city," Kale said. "And we found these…"

"We thought they might be useful to you – or that you might at least know what they are…" Char added.

McKay stepped forward as a female he didn't recognize – fortunately – extended her hands with a loosely wrapped package in it. He unwrapped the cloth that was covering it, and everyone in the control room gasped.

"Is that a ZPM?" Weir asked, shocked.


	6. 06

**Atlantis**

"No…" Rodney said, taking the device from Char. "I don't think it's a ZedPM."

"What?"

Weir couldn't help but feel a huge stab of disappointment. She'd been so hopeful when she'd seen it.

"It _looks_ like one," Sheppard said.

"It has similar characteristics, I'll admit," Rodney said, examining it. "But it doesn't _look_ exactly like one."

"Maybe it's similar?" Elizabeth hazarded.

"That's possible," he admitted. "I'll check it out." He was going to anyways.

"Where in the city did you find it?" Sheppard asked Kale, smiling at the female who was with the two males. He didn't recognize her, either. She smiled back, but before they could introduce themselves, Kale was speaking again.

"In an obscure little room," The Light One told him. "If it is useful to you, we will look for more, and bring them to you. If not, we will simply leave them on the shelves."

Elizabeth looked at McKay.

"Rodney?"

"Yes, Elizabeth, I'll take a look at it right now."

He pretended to be annoyed, but really, he was excited. It might not be a ZPM, but even if it wasn't and it was simply another kind of power source, there was no telling if it was something that might even be better than a ZPM. Who knew? Well, he would. In as soon as possible. Still examining it, he left the room, forgetting to even say good-bye, although no one called him on it.

Weir looked at the Light Ones, her smile returning.

"While we're waiting, would you guys like something to eat?"

"And some clothes." Sheppard said, still smiling at the female. God, he missed the Light Ones when they weren't around.

Kale smiled as well, and nodded, but his eyes were only for Weir – so much so that he forgot to introduce his sister to the others.

"That sounds wonderful, Elizabeth. Thank you."

**Melonyville**

Tao's expression grew more and more skeptical as he listened to Jack – and then Daniel – explain to him as well as they could where they thought Melony and Talon were (leaving out a few details, of course) but to his credit, he didn't interrupt them once, and was silent until they were finished.

"You believe my Lord Talon and his host are stuck in an abandoned city?" He asked, then.

"In a galaxy far, _far_, away," Jack confirmed.

"I find it hard to believe."

For all that Talon had tried to assure Tao – and others – that he wasn't their god (_goddess_, since the host was female), most of the Jaffa found it hard to accept. What other word could there be for the person who had freed them of their slavery to the lesser gods? For the one being who had managed to do what the Jaffa had been unable to do, and had then shown such grace to his people by setting them loose to do good, instead of evil and allowing them to more or less run things their own way, with only simple rules to follow – and those rules were simply matters of honor anyways.

"_We_ don't like it, either," Daniel assured Tao. "But she hasn't contacted us in a while. Have you heard from her?"

"Talon does as he pleases…"

"We know that," Jack said, doing his best to stay calm and not be annoyed. "But we want to make sure that Talon – and his host – are safe."

"Nothing can harm them."

Sam sighed.

"The Tau'ri seek Lord Talon for other reasons as well," Teal'c said, breaking into the conversation. "Reasons of honor that cannot be dissimilated at the moment."

Tao looked at Teal'c, who stared impassively back at him. At one time the two of them would have been enemies, but Lord Talon had made it quite clear to Tao – and _everyone_ else – that Teal'c was his trusted ally – friend, even, and had long since proven himself worthy of his name. The First Prime spoke, shrugging.

"I posses no technology that will enable you to travel such a distance," Tao told them.

"Your people are a lot more spread out than ours," Daniel said – a diplomatic way of avoiding mentioning that they'd suppressed and destroyed countless alien races that the SGC had never even heard of. "You haven't come across anything that might help us get to her? Him. _Them_?"

Tao was quiet for a moment, and then he shook his head.

"No engines or craft of any sort," he said. "Not with that kind of range. However…"

He stopped.

"Yes…?"

Jack was too curious to wait for him to decide to continue on his own, and Tao scowled again – although if Teal'c was a trusted ally and friend, _Colonel Jack O'Neill_ was doubly so. Lord Talon had made it perfectly clear to Tao that the Tau'ri – and O'Neill especially – were to be left alone, or helped if they were in need. Of course, that hadn't exactly meant giving them technology, Tao decided, but some Jaffa had rendered assistance to one of their lost teams, once, a short while back, and when Talon had heard of it (from Tao) he'd been exceptionally pleased.

"Before Lord Talon left, we were instructed that if in any of our wanderings and explorations," Which was _not_ a euphemistic way of saying _when we were out taking over people and destroying civilizations_, as it once might have been. "…and we came upon anything that might be interesting, we were to obtain a sample of it, to be held against the day he returned."

"And you found something?" Daniel asked.

"Perhaps."

Jack looked like he was going to say something, but Daniel put his hand on his arm to stop him. Undoubtedly it would have been something annoying, and he didn't want to antagonize Melony's First Prime if they could avoid it. Especially if he had something that might help.

Tao stood up, and walked over to his ship, disappearing into it.

"Well…?" Jack asked, scowling.

"Maybe he had it with him…" Daniel said, shrugging.

"Oh, yeah, like he's just going to be toting the one thing around with him that we need the most."

"We don't know that it's anything that might help us," Sam said, shrugging. "It might be a new kind of corn for all we know."

"Or perhaps something so valuable that he dared not leave it lying around," Teal'c said.

"Or maybe it-"

The Jaffa reappeared at the hatch of the craft, and walked back to them, holding something in his large hand. Sam's eyes widened.

"That's one of the crystals."

"What?"

"From the pyramid," she said. "It's one of the-"

"The amplifying crystals?" Jack asked, forgetting for the moment that he was supposed to be playing stupid. He looked at the crystal Tao was holding out to him, and took it. "How do you know, Carter?"

"I studied them extensively, Sir. I'm sure that's what it is."

"We did not find it in a pyramid," Tao said. "They were on the floor of a large, empty building – a shrine to some long dead god, presumably."

"_They_?" Daniel asked. "There are more?"

Tao shrugged.

"Many."


	7. 07

_Author's Note: Remember! I don't know all that much about the Wraith and everything I put is going to be from my own imagination, so if the technology isn't right – according to something you UK people might know from episodes I haven't seen yet, just keep it to yourself! It's an AU._

OOOOOOOO

**Undesignated planet**

_We can't stay long. There's a very good chance there are more of them here that we just haven't seen_

"I know."

Melony was standing beside the closest dart, looking up at the thing with an almost awed expression. The craft was a pretty one, deadly and sleek, and she wondered how anyone so ruthless could create something so beautiful.

_They're aerodynamical, that's all_

Talon wasn't nearly as impressed with the ship as Melony was – although he was just as anxious to check out the technology. That was because Melony was a pilot at heart, and Talon was a scientist, and while the two of them blended well most of the time, they were still very different entities. It was just that most of the time; they had the same goal – just as they did, then.

"Let's hope you don't have to be Wraith to operate them…"

Which would be a serious setback.

_We could always see about getting you a Wraith gene, too,_ Talon told her, amused, despite the exposed position they were in.

"Ugh."

She didn't even want to think about _that_. Instead, she walked around the dart, looking for any mechanism that might open a door or a hatch. That would be the first test, after all. If she couldn't get into the ship, there was no way she was going to be able to fly it.

At the tail of the ship she found what she was looking for. A simple panel – much like the one on a Jumper – that was glowing slightly. Amplifying the personal shield device she was using – just in case the damned thing was booby-trapped – she hit the panel with her hand, and the entire back of the ship seemed to shimmer for just a moment, and then an opening appeared. Just out of nowhere, like the metal had melted away.

"Wow."

Even Talon was impressed by that. Since there had been no sign of any trap – or anti-theft device – she moved up the single step and into the back of the craft.

It was small and compact, but the Wraith were more or less the same size as humans, and Melony wasn't large, so she fit just fine. There were all sorts of panels and glowing lights at the front of the ship – on what looked like a dashboard – and there was a single pilot's chair, which was well cushioned with a high back and a lot of intricate carvings. A simple yoke with a typical looking stick appeared to be the main steering device, and Melony wondered how a race so alien from her own had still managed to create something so similar to an aircraft cockpit from earth.

_The best designs are the ones that end up being used_, Talon told her. _It happens in nature – why not in science?_

"Why not?"

She ran her hand along the chair, feeling the texture of the fabric covering the padding. It was identical to the fabric the Wraith had been wearing under their armor when Mitchell had gone through their pockets looking for devices and technology that might come in handy. Devices that were now sitting in a pile, waiting for her to learn how to fly the ship she was in – at least well enough to get the two of them and their stolen loot back to Talonopolis where she'd have more time to look it over.

_Have a seat_, Talon told her. He didn't want to wait too long, and really, the worst that could happen was the thing could blow up around them, or Melony would crash it and it would blow up around them. They'd probably be killed, but with the shielding device on high like it was, there was always a chance they'd live.

"Maybe they forgot to set the alarm," Melony said, sitting down in the chair.

Before Talon could answer, straps came out of nowhere, down around her shoulders, around from her hips and one up between her legs – which was a little nerve-wracking. They clicked together with a metallic sound at a point right above her belly button, and Melony decided that it wasn't a capture device, simply a 6-point harness. And a snug one at that.

"Well… that's a start…"

The harness probably was automatic, but it at least proved that she didn't have to be Wraith in order for the ship to accept her as the pilot. She looked at the console in front of her.

"I wonder how to start this thing…"

As if in response, a small button started blinking, and Melony stared at it, feeling Talon's own surprise.

Could it be that simple?

_The Wraith might communicate telepathically, Hot Shot,_ Talon said, hesitantly, as if he were only just thinking this through as well. _Perhaps their ships are similar to the Ancient's in the respect that they can 'hear' what their pilots need… It wouldn't be the first time the technology was used. Just a more advanced version_

"Of course, it could be a self destruct button, too…"

To her surprise, another button – this one a little bigger and far off to the side – started blinking as well.

Don't _hit that button,_ Talon told her.

Not a chance.

Instead, she took a deep breath, and reached out, one hand coming to the yoke of the craft, and the other pressing the first button.

"Here goes…"

OOOOOOOOOOOO

**Melonyville**

"How _many_ more?" Sam asked.

Tao shrugged.

"Several."

"And are you willing to let us have them?"

No sense beating around the bush.

Tao scowled. He wasn't so sure he should just give up something so willingly – especially to the Tau'ri.

"I am uncertain that my Lord Talon would desire-"

"He'd tell you to help us," Daniel said, reminding Tao that Talon was a good friend of theirs and considered himself an ally. "You know he would."

The First Prime scowled again.

"What will you give my people in return?"

Jack scowled.

"Remind me again, what do we want them for, Carter?" He asked.

She sighed.

"Sir. Colonel Mitchell used them to amplify the power to the gate. I helped her do it. I saw what she did, and I could duplicate it."

"So you could get us to Atlantis…?" He asked.

She nodded.

Jack turned to Tao.

"We'll give you whatever you ask."

And _that_ wasn't something anyone would ever have imagined hearing Jack O'Neill ever tell any Jaffa other than Teal'c.

Tao smiled.


	8. 08

**Earth**

"You gave them _what_?"

"A hotdog cart, eighty crates of hotdogs, buns, and the works."

"_And_ one of those big umbrellas," Carter added, reminding Jack.

He nodded, and turned back to George Hammond, who was standing in Jack's office – which had originally been his office.

"And a big umbrella."

Hammond stared at him.

"And in return they – _he_ – gave you all the crystals?"

"Not all of them, sir – General. _George_ – just some."

"But more than enough for us to gate to Atlantis – and enough to gate home from there."

"As long as their DHD is working," Hammond said.

"We're assuming that the only reason the Atlantis expedition – and Colonel Mitchell – haven't contacted us is because they don't have the power to do so," Sam said. "We'll take the crystals and a couple of naquida generators with us, and we won't have that problem."

"And if they haven't contacted you because they're dead…?"

"Then we'll know, and we can bring them home." Jack said.

It wasn't an option he wanted to accept. He liked Sam's much better.

Hammond frowned.

"And _you're_ going because…?"

"Because _I'm_ the one that sent them all there in the first place," Jack said, a little stiffly. "And because the President agrees that you are more than capable of running things around here until I return to take over the reins once more."

Hammond's frown turned into a scowl.

"And just how long are you going to be gone?"

"Not long."

"How long is that?"

"I-"

"Jack. I _retired_, remember? The Goa'uld aren't a threat any more and I-"

"You're the best choice to run things here, Sir," Jack said, interrupting. "I _have_ to go. I need to check things out myself, and bring her – _them_ – home if they're dead. We don't leave our people behind, and I sent them, so it's my responsibility to bring them home."

"You're taking supplies?" Hammond asked, rhetorically. Had he gone to the window of the office he would have been able to look down into the embarkation room and see the supplies already being gathered and stacked on anti-grav pallets, waiting to be sent off with SG-1 – _and_ General Jack O'Neill.

"Lots of supplies."

"Which doesn't mean you're going to be gone a long time…"

"We'll be back as soon as we know the situation."

Hammond scowled again, but there wasn't anything he could really say to it. Jack had the President's permission to go – the President would do anything for Jack (and Mitchell – and they all knew that Melony was Jack's reason for going) and Hammond had been called back to duty to resume command of the SGC while O'Neill was gone. For the duration plus 2 months, it said on his orders.

"Fine. You go."

Jack smiled.

"But you'd better haul ass back here as soon as you can," Hammond growled. "I'm too old for this crap anymore."

"Yes, sir."

**Atlantis**

"Well, it's not a ZedPM."

Everyone at the briefing table looked disappointed – except for the Light Ones who didn't know what a ZedPM even was – only that it was something the Atlanteans really wanted.

"However…" Rodney said, looking a little smug. "It's not completely useless, either."

"How so?" Weir asked.

Rodney pulled out his laptop, and set it on the table, opening it and showing the others a representation of the device he'd just examined.

"It is a power source – one that's about as potent as our own naquida generators."

"So we could use them?" Sheppard asked.

"Hence the whole _not completely useless_ thing," Rodney said. "Yes, we can use them. And really, if we had enough of them, we might even be able to get the shields active again – but it'd take a lot."

"We are more than willing to look for more," Kellan said from her position beside Sheppard. "There were several in the building Char found – it could be that there are many more rooms just like it."

"Is there any way we could hook a bunch of them together and use them to activate the gate back to Earth?" Weir asked.

Rodney hesitated. He, of course, had already considered that. "If we have enough… possibly. It'd be considerably more dangerous than using one ZedPM, however."

"How come?"

"Because if we-"

An alarm suddenly sounded, causing everyone to jump in varying degrees of surprise.

"_Offworld activation! Doctor Weir to the control center!"_

As a group, they all went, the Light Ones following the Atlanteans, Sheppard calling for security teams to converge until they knew who was coming. Of course, they didn't have all that many friends in the area – and one of their few gate-traveling allies were already there – so the choices were limited.

"Who is it?" Weir asked breathlessly as soon as she was within speaking range of Grodin, who was sitting at the gate controls.

"It's coming through now…" he said, looking back down at his computer, and then staring.

"Well?" Rodney asked, looking at Grodin and then over at the gate, which was protected by the shimmering shield.

"It's the _SGC_…" Grodin said, looking up and meeting Weir's eyes.

"Are you serious?"

She felt a stab of excitement and relief.

He nodded.

"It all matches. No one else would know their-"

"Lower the shield," Rodney said, interrupting. The last thing they needed was to fry any help or supplies that might be coming through – and boy, was he hoping they were sending through some chocolate, because he _really_ wanted a candy bar.

"Yes," Weir said, breaking out of her shock. "Lower the shields…"

All eyes turned to the gate, as Weir, and Rodney walked down the staircase, following Sheppard, who had his weapon out – just in case – and was waving at his men to look alive and be alert. Again, just in case.

The shield dropped, and apparently just in time, because a moment later a tall figure holding a P90 emerged, flanked by a blonde woman, a Jaffa and a brown-haired man in glasses. All of them were dressed in BDUs and armed to the teeth – although the one with glasses was carrying a large bag – but the weapons were lowered as soon they emerged and saw their reception.

Jack O'Neill looked around, searching for a particular face and not finding it – although he did see many that he knew.

Weir smiled, feeling almost giddy with relief and excitement, and she thought her heart was going to explode when O'Neill walked up to her, the rest of his team moving out of the way as large pallets of supplies started coming through the gate behind them.

"Doctor Weir," Jack said, relieved at finding her and her group looking so alive and healthy – considering all the other possible alternatives. "You're looking... alive..."


	9. 09

**Undesignated Planet**

_Pull up! Pull up!_

I am, stop nagging.

Mitchell jerked hard on the yoke, over compensating and actually turning the dart into a backwards somersault that should have sent her, Talon and the dart all crashing to the ground – which was only about 500 feet below them. It definitely would have if Mitchell had been in any other aircraft. The dart, however, was superbly maneuverable – better than anything she'd ever flown in her life – and she was able to pull out of the ensuing spin almost immediately, sending the dart skimming along the swampy planet surface at speeds she couldn't even imagine.

Small and fast and able to turn on a dime, the dart was the greatest airplane she'd ever flown. _Ever_.

Talon wasn't nearly as impressed, and Mitchell had a feeling that if she could actually see him, he'd probably be turning green.

_I thought you were a pilot_, he complained.

It's a new ship, she told him. At least give me a chance to get used to the controls.

_They're the same as every other ship_

Nowhere near.

_I thought flying was supposed to be like riding a bicycle…_

I've never ridden a bicycle like this, Mitchell said, grinning as she turned the yoke slightly and the ship went into a series of controlled rolls. She couldn't actually see the ground – or the sky – because the dart didn't even have a front view screen. All it had was a 3-D image of what was around them on a very cool heads-up display that had appeared the moment Melony had pressed the start up button.

It was better than a window, once she'd gotten used to using it, because it showed her far more than she'd have been able to see if she'd just been looking out the front. Because of the representation, she could see what was under them, or behind them, or above them – all with equal ease.

_We need to get back_

I know.

_It's_-

I know.

He wasn't enjoying the flight anywhere near as much as she was, and she knew it. But he was right about that; they did need to get back – especially if she wanted to get all three darts back to Talonopolis before any other Wraith might come stumbling upon them. Three darts and a shitload of gadgets. Not a bad haul.

The darts themselves were worth the risk she'd taken.

"So… how do I dial the gate from inside the ship…?"

She asked it aloud, because she almost hoped the ship itself would tell her. There were a lot of similarities between the Ancient technology and the Wraith technology – at least in the inside of their ships – and both seemed to be able to respond to the needs of the person at the controls.

A button blinked, and Melony reached over and pressed it.

Sure enough, a small panel opened, and with a slight whirring noise another panel – about the size of a dinner plate – emerged from inside the dash. This one had all the symbols of the gate on it – exactly like the Puddle Jumpers did – and Melony wondered who had decided on making gate DHDs on ships first; the Ancients or the Wraith.

Do you want to stop and get that stuff on this trip? She asked Talon. Or pick it up when we come back?

_We'd better get it now,_ he told her. _Just in case they come looking for their toys while we're gone._

Melony nodded, and took a minute to get a bearing on where exactly they were in regards to the pile of things they'd left behind, and a moment later she turned the dart and headed back.

_You don't need to turn so sharply_

Relax. We're not going to crash.

She had the thing figured out, now. More or less.

_More or less?_

Somewhat?

_Just get us back, okay?_

Shaking her head, Melony headed back for the other two darts.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

Weir smiled.

"You have no idea how glad I am to see you. How glad we all are."

Jack's smile was just as genuine, and just as relieved. If Weir and the others were alive, then Melony was, too. Daniel had been right. He looked at those with Weir, and easily spotted Kale and the other two Light Ones, who towered a good couple feet – or more – over the others.

"I don't remember sending you…" Jack said, looking at Kale.

The Light One smiled, as did Weir and the others.

"General Jack O'Neill, I'd like to introduce you to Kale. He's a member of a race who call themselves the Light Ones. That is Char, and this is Kellan, Kale's sister."

"Light Ones, huh?" Jack asked, sizing them up, and moving slightly to the side as Daniel stepped forward, eager to meet the new people as well. "Where are the Heavy Ones?"

"Ignore him," Daniel said, also sizing up the new race. "I'm Daniel Jackson."

Kale nodded.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Daniel Jackson."

"Oh, you can just call me Daniel," he told him.

"Da-"

"How did you get here?" Weir asked, interrupting the introductions.

"We found-"

"Carter." O'Neill stopped her before she could answer. He'd taken stock of everyone in the room and had come up short on two faces that he most wanted to see. "Doctor Weir? Where are Colonels Sumner and Mitchell?"

Weir's smile faded.

"Colonel Sumner's dead, General," she said. "I'm sorry…"

"And Melony?" Daniel asked, feeling a stab of fear that she'd answer similarly.

"She's alive," Weir said. "At least… we think she is…"

"We're pretty sure she is," Sheppard said, cutting in. "She was a few days ago."

Jack scowled. What the hell was going on?

"What do you mean, a few days ago? Where the hell is she? Why isn't she-"

"It's a long story, General," Weir said, glancing over at the people in the room with her, and the supplies that were still coming through the gate. "Let's go sit down, and we'll tell you the whole thing."

Jack looked like he was going to argue – he wanted answers, not a story – but the expression on her face wasn't one that he could ignore. Whatever he was going to hear, Jack had a feeling he wasn't going to like it. And chances were, he'd want to sit down for it.

"Fine."


	10. 10

**Talonopolis**

"Do we put it _in_ the lava base now, or wait for all three?"

_Let's wait – just in case it blows up while we're gone_

"You think that's a possibility?"

_Why not? Who knows what they have on their ships protecting them from falling into the wrong hands?_

And her and Talon would definitely fall into the category of _wrong_ hands.

"Fair enough."

Mitchell checked out the 3-D representation on the heads-up screen and looked for a good place to land the dart. Someplace close to the lava flows – which should help shield the darts from being detected by any outside sensors – but close enough that it wouldn't be too far back to the Stargate for them to go get the next one.

In the ravine that led to her primary entrance into the lava base, they'd found several overhangs further down, and that ended up being the best place she and Talon could come up with. So she flew the dart along the ravine, and brought it in for a hard – but not completely uncontrolled – landing.

_Nice_

Yeah, she could hear the sarcasm in his 'voice'.

"Hey, any landing you can walk away from is a good one."

_Who told you that?_

"Hush."

She turned the power off and the harness unlocked from around her, allowing her to get out of the chair – although it had done a great job of keeping her from braining herself on the dash when she'd crashed.

_I thought you called that a_ landing_…_

She ignored that, and turned towards the back of the ship, looking for something that would open the 'hatch'. What she found was a panel that looked identical to the one on the outside, and she palmed it, watching in fascination as the metal once more seemed to melt away, leaving an opening for her to hop out of.

_We need to find out how that works_, Talon said, just as impressed.

"Definitely."

She took her bearings, stretching her legs just a little after being cooped up in the small cockpit, and then headed for the easiest part of the ravine wall. There weren't a lot of hand and footholds, but she was a fair climber and in great shape, so it didn't take her too long to get up to the main level of the lava flows once more. Settling her weapons in place and looking up at the sun – deciding they had plenty of time – she headed for the gate at a quick jog.

One down, and two to go.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

It was a large group that was gathered in the conference room. All three of the Light Ones – Daniel had taken a seat right beside Kale, still curious about finding out more about his people although he knew that there were more important matters to be considered – were there, as well as Teyla, who had been introduced to the newcomers and had sized O'Neill up as an obvious leader, although her main interest seemed to be in Teal'c just at the moment. Weir suspected it was because Teal'c held a symbiote – like Melony did – and so he was giving off a stronger life force than the others in the room. Although she did wonder what the Light Ones looked like to someone like Teyla, and made a mental note to ask some time when there was less on the table.

McKay had joined the group, of course, making a beeline for the seat next to Colonel Carter – right up until Teal'c had scowled at him and taken the seat before he could – and McKay hadn't argued. He was well aware that the Jaffa wasn't all that fond of him – and really, hadn't had a lot of time or reason to improve relations between the two.

Jack sat on the other side of Sam, flanking her and scowling at McKay as well – although he had his own reasons for not wanting Rodney next to Sam – and Carson Beckett was called to join them, and he sat down across from O'Neill and between Sheppard and Ford, giving the General a look that Jack didn't understand, but didn't have the time to wonder about.

All of the newcomers had been silent while Weir explained to them the very first hours of their journey through the gate to Atlantis – the Light Ones were listening with interest as well, because they'd never heard this story of their allies in its entirety, either. But when Sheppard took over, telling of going through the gate with Sumner and the other away team looking for a safe place to relocate should the worst happen with the shielding around Atlantis and the subsequent attack of the Wraith on Teyla's people, Jack couldn't help himself.

"Wraith?"

Sheppard nodded, as did Teyla and Ford. Those three had been there and had seen them.

"They're-"

"The Wraith do not exist," Teal'c said, his deep voice filled with scorn.

"Tell that to my people," Teyla said, looking over at the Jaffa. "They have been a terror to my people for generations, feeding off-"

"_Feeding_?" Jack interrupted.

"The Wraith are a race of beings that survive on the life force of others," Teyla explained.

"They literally _suck_ the life right out of you," Carson said. "Years at a time. And they regenerate like nothing I've ever seen."

"They're practically immortal," McKay said.

"_Immortal_?"

"No they're not," Sheppard disagreed. "They live a long time, sure – but they _die_. I've killed enough of them to know they're not immortal."

"They-"

"Stop." Jack interrupted, holding his hand up because it looked like McKay and Sheppard were about to get into some heated debate, and Jack didn't have time for that. "Finish the story, Major."

_That_ was an order, and Sheppard nodded. He went on to tell about the end of the attack and how several of the Athosians and the Marines – including Colonel Sumner – had been captured by the Wraith, taken through the Stargate, and how Ford had memorized the address before they'd escaped completely.

Jack frowned at that, but he didn't interrupt as Sheppard had expected him to, instead listening as the Major explained how they'd discovered the Jumpers and had gone on a rescue mission, only to end up being too late to save Sumner – although the others had more or less come out intact.

For the first time Jack stopped him. He had Sheppard go back over the story of Sumner's death, his face pale and his expression unreadable. Only the fact that his hands were clenched tightly on the table in front of him showed the anger he was feeling as he heard how the Wraith had tortured his friend to try to get the location of Earth – and how Sumner had told them to go to hell. And had paid for that defiance.

John told the General the truth; that _he_, and not the Wraith had been the one to actually kill Sumner, but Jack's expression never changed.

"I don't understand," Daniel said into the silence that followed that particular statement. "I mean… I understand that the Wraith are deadly and a serious threat to everyone in this galaxy – and our own, eventually – but _where's_ Colonel Mitchell?"

"She's gone looking for them, Doctor Jackson," Weir said, softly.


	11. 11

**Undesignated Planet**

_Well, that's a relief_

Mitchell nodded her agreement. Both of them were glad to see that the other two darts were still where she'd left them over two hours before. If there were other Wraith on the planet, chances were they would have already noticed their buddies were missing and come looking for them – no doubt taking the darts with them when they left. If the ships were already missing, then chances were there were no automatic recall button or anything that might send them home on their own – although that would have been an interesting thought, since Mitchell could have stowed away on one. It would have been something of a coup to find the home planet to one of the Wraith bases.

_And then promptly get overwhelmed and killed_… Talon reminded her.

Yeah, that would have been a drawback, she had to admit.

Still checking the area carefully, even though there was no sign of any Wraith, Mitchell headed to the closest dart; coming up from behind it and palming the dissolving hatch open.

Like before, it opened with no indication it had any problem with her being the pilot, and as she moved forward to take the pilot's seat, she breathed a sigh of relief, the harness coming out of the seat to lock her firmly into place against the cushioned chair.

This time she didn't need to ask. She hit the button that started the power, and immediately everything came to life around her. Familiar enough now with the controls, her takeoff was a lot smoother than her last landing, and she immediately headed for the Stargate, not taking the time to do any learning maneuvers. She'd have plenty of time later.

She palmed open the panel with the DHD thing – or whatever the Wraith called their version of it – and started dialing with one hand while she aimed the sharp nose of the dart at the gate.

A moment later she was through, flying directly into the sun, which was just approaching its zenith.

Two down…

OOOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

"_What_?"

Weir flinched. She couldn't help it. Nor was she the only one at the table to do it. Jack's anger at the news of the torture and death of his friend had easily been transferred to the newest revelation, and he'd had no reason to modulate himself.

"She went looking for the Wraith," Weir repeated, gathering herself. She knew O'Neill wasn't angry with _her_, after all. Right?

"Why on Earth would-"

"And you _let_ her?" Jack yelled, interrupting Daniel before he could even finish his question. He rose to his feet, unable to sit still, and Kale started to stand as well, uncertain as to why the human was yelling, but unwilling to allow Elizabeth to go unprotected in the event of an attack or something.

Jack noticed immediately, and pointed his hand at the Light One. He was in no mood for anything from the tall guy he didn't even know.

"You sit down."

Kale started to say something, but Elizabeth quickly spoke up, on her own behalf.

"There _wasn't_ much I could do to stop her, General," she said. "I don't have any jurisdiction over her. She's not a member of my expedition and she's military."

Good point. Jack turned to Sheppard, his scowl still thunderous, but John was ready, too.

"She _outranks_ me," he said. "The only person who could have ordered her to stay was Sumner, and when I told her about-"

"She went ballistic…" Jack said, finishing. He knew her well enough to know just how she would have reacted – and add to it the state of mind she was in when she'd left, and Jack knew it was a recipe for disaster. But Talon should have done something to stop her.

Sheppard nodded.

"She was _furious_…"

"Marshal was a friend of hers. Of _ours_." Jack said, softly, his anger draining – at least for the moment. "But you _still_ should have stopped her."

"She didn't go off half-cocked," McKay said, interrupting. He had a part to play in this and wanted to make sure Carter knew all about it. "We set her up a secret base – on another planet – where she could study the Wraith technology and get a better idea of how best to fight them – and we-"

"Secret base?" Daniel interrupted. "Where?"

"Talonopolis."

As a group, SG-1 and O'Neill stared at him.

"_Talonopolis_?"

McKay shrugged.

"It's officially designated in our records as A-008, but Talonopolis seemed to stick – although most of us call the base itself the lava base."

"What?"

"It's under a lava flow," Weir explained. "A huge-"

"How long has she been gone?"

"Five days." Sheppard told him.

Jack sat down again, thinking. Five days. How much trouble could she be in after only five days? _A ton of it, of course_, came the quick answer, and he scowled.

"Have you heard from her?"

"She said she'd get in contact with us if she found anything – or if she needed anything – and told us to call on her if we needed her help." Elizabeth told him; glad he seemed to be a little calmer.

"But you haven't heard anything?"

"She's probably fine," Rodney said. "The Goa'uld technology she brought with her works wonders against the Wraith. I wish we had about a hundred more of those zats and a lot of-"

"You know where this base of hers is?" Jack asked Sheppard, ignoring McKay.

John nodded.

O'Neill stood up again.

"Fine. Let's go. I want to talk to her."

And he wanted to see her and make sure she was still alive – and then he was going to _kill_ her.

OOOOOOOOO

**Talonopolis**

"Uh oh."

O'Neill looked over at Sheppard, and followed the Major's gaze down the ravine John had just landed the Jumper in. Several hundred feet away, he saw two small craft – even smaller than the Jumper they'd just stepped out of – glittering dully in the waning late afternoon sun.

"What the hell are those?" He asked.

Sam and Daniel were looking as well, but Teal'c immediately turned his attention upwards, knowing that where there were two, there could be several more… whatever they were.

"Wraith…" Sheppard said, also looking up. McKay, however, had turned his attention to the entrance to the lava base, wondering if they'd somehow already found the base and had attacked it. He wondered if Mitchell had managed to escape through one of the bolt holes before the Wraith had come.

"Do you think they're in the tunnels?" He asked aloud, and Jack's gaze followed his to the entrance. The fear that Melony might be lying dead in there – only days late from seeing her again – spurred him to the entrance, his P90 coming up and his heart going to his throat.

"Colonel!"

Something glinting against the brighter sun outside of and above the ravine had caught Sam's attention, and she pointed upwards, everyone else following her gaze. It was another one of the small ships, and it was coming right at them, heading right over the center of the ravine in what looked like a perfect strafing position.

Teal'c raised his staff weapon, pointing it at the ship as it approached, and Jack – already half-stunned by his loss of Melony when he'd been so close to seeing her again – also raised his weapon to face the ship, and started firing. Behind him, he heard Teal'c's answering volley as well as the others, all firing at the sleek craft that was coming in as if it owned the place.


	12. 12

**Talonopolis**

"Is that a _Jumper_?"

The question was rhetorical. Obviously, Talon could see just as clearly as Melony could that the ship sitting in the middle of her landing strip was a Jumper. Of course, she didn't actually need a landing strip, since the dart she was in didn't have any more landing gear (wheels and such) than the Jumpers did, but they were going to end up flying right over them at this angle, and that would probably be unnerving to whoever might be down there. Unless of course, they were inside the lava tubes.

On the plus side, the fact that Melony hadn't noticed the Jumper until she was right down in the ravine and flying over it was perfect. It meant that the shielding of the lava – whatever it was that kept sensors from scanning through the stuff – was just as effective from the outside as it was from the inside. Which would keep her precious dart fleet from being spotted unless the Wraith ended up flying down her ravine as well.

Just a she was thinking this, though, alarms started going off all over the dart. Flashing lights and warnings in a language she didn't know how to read came along the heads-up display, and she felt the little ship suddenly rock violently in the air – and almost crashed into the side of the ravine as she over compensated.

"What the hell?"

The warnings flared again as Melony flew over the Jumper and then a moment later over her other two stolen darts. Had this one suddenly developed some kind of anti-theft device? She knew she hadn't hit that self-destruct button.

_They're firing at us!_

"What? Who is? Why-"

Another explosion rocked the little ship, and Mitchell suddenly lost all power. Whatever had been hit, it was something crucial, because everything went black. She lost her heads-up display, her alarms, and her controls to the ship. Everything. And the dart plummeted.

"Son of a _bitch_!"

OOOOOOOO

Jack watched as the small craft finally took a fatal hit and started smoking. A moment later, it crashed into the ground several hundred feet past the other two craft, a fireball of wreckage that made him feel a surge of satisfaction. Ha. Bastards. Take that. He reloaded his P90, and looked at the others, all of whom were looking in the direction of the downed craft.

"Carter? Let's-"

"O'Neill."

Teal'c's eyesight was better than any of theirs, and he was the first to see the figure staggering out of the burning wreckage, take several steps and then fall. As they all watched, a moment later the figure struggled to its feet once more, heading in their direction – although they were way too far away to see anything more than just that it was a _someone_.

At that range the P90s wouldn't be effective, and the sidearms were definitely ruled out, but Jack pulled his Beretta anyways, watching and waiting for the Wraith to approach within range. Of course, Teal'c had his staff weapon trained on it, and the others their P90s, still, so Jack wasn't concerned about one lone alien – no matter how much of a life-sucker it was.

Then the already destroyed ship exploded. Just blew all to shit with a force that even Jack and the others could feel. The Wraith was flattened. Thrown forward in the dirt that covered the lava flow in the ravine. And this time, it didn't rise.

"Carter, you and Teal-"

"General…" Sheppard had been watching as well. And even though his eyesight wasn't as good as Teal'c's, he'd been able to see that something was different about that Wraith – even as he'd fallen. Something naggingly wrong. Wrong enough that he suddenly felt his stomach clench and his heart seem to stop.

He headed for the fallen figure at a run.

"Major!"

Sheppard didn't turn, and Ford was right behind him.

Jack swore, and motioned for the others to follow as he headed that way at a run as well, his Beretta easier to hold than the P90s and not slowing him up quite as much, allowing him to catch up with Sheppard about a hundred feet away from the fallen figure.

"What the hell- _shit_."

The figure on the ground moved, and Jack cocked his Beretta even as they ran. All he could see of the Wraith was a lot of blood and dust, with a shock of pale hair that-

"No!"

Sheppard reached out and grabbed the arm holding the Beretta, pulling it down and away before Jack could fire and shoot the thing to finish it off.

Jack came to a skidding halt, and Carter barreled right into him, sending him, Sheppard and her all to the ground in a heap.

"What the hell are you _doing_, Major?" Jack snarled, rolling immediately to his feet.

"_Major_!"

Ford hadn't fallen and hadn't stopped. Now he was kneeling beside the fallen figure, already reaching for his first aid kit. "It's Mitchell!"

"What?" This was from Jack, who came over as well, his heart racing as he realized he recognized the form the closer he came. "Oh, God…"

He dropped to the ground beside her, and rolled her over. She was covered in blood and burns, her face smeared with it and her clothing ripped, torn and burned. But she made a pained noise when he took hold of her and Jack gave a glad cry. If she was alive then she would be all right. Probably.

"Melony?" He touched her cheek. God, she looked awful. But never had he been so glad to see someone. "Melony!"

She made a noise, and her eyes opened, but he wasn't so sure that she knew what she was seeing, because her eyes were glazed and filled with pain.

"Melony…"

The others gathered around, and Sheppard spoke first, breathless from the sprint, and the fact that they'd almost killed Mitchell.

"We've got to get her back to Atlantis."

Jack nodded, letting her go and standing up."

"Teal'c."

The Jaffa came forward and carefully gathered Mitchell into his arms to carry her back to the Jumper. Sheppard ran ahead to get the ship up and running and ready to go, and the others all headed that direction as well. Jack hesitated just a moment, turning and looking back at the shattered remains of the smoking ship, but he didn't have time to wonder how she'd managed to end up in what was obviously an alien ship.

OOOOOOOOO

Carson Beckett was waiting in the Jumper bay with a team of medics, his heart pounding in fear and worry. They didn't have much to go on, so he didn't know what exactly the extent of Melony's injuries were, but from the concern in Sheppard's voice when he'd called ahead, it couldn't be good.

The rear hatch opened as soon as the Jumper came to a stop, and Beckett jumped up the ramp, pushing people blindly out of the way to get to the bloody figure who was lying on the floor of the cargo area, covered with a couple blankets.

"What happened?"

There was a long pause as everyone looked at each other, and Jack scowled, a mixture of annoyance and concern making his expression unreadable.

"We sort of shot her down…"


	13. 13

"You _what_?"

He turned, though, and started pulling blankets off even as the other medics carefully gathered her up and put her on the gurney.

"Oh, God…"

Carson didn't wait for an explanation from any of them. He simply nodded to his gurney crew, and pulled his stethoscope out, sliding his hand under her shirt to check her heart as the gurney started rolling.

"Hey…"

Beckett scowled at Jack, effectively hushing him for a moment anyway, and counted beats while he felt her chest rise and fall for a couple of long moments. She was breathing shallowly, but her heartbeat was steady. That was a good sign. He moved the stethoscope, and touched her carefully on the cheek, looking for a place that wasn't battered, burned or bloody.

"Melony?"

She didn't make a sound.

"She was conscious for a little bit," Sheppard said, trailing behind the medics as well, along with all the rest of the people who had helped shoot her down.

"Did she say anything?"

"No."

Carson swore, and turned back to Mitchell as they turned a corner and headed into the infirmary. Realizing that everyone seemed to be planning on following them in, he stopped, and Jack stopped as well, everyone else crashing into his back.

"Wait out here; I'll let you know."

"Hey," Jack protested. "I'm-"

"Going to sit your ass down and wait until I tell you it's all right to come in."

Everyone looked shocked at that, including Weir who had just arrived in the hallway. Carson wasn't normally one to speak like that to anyone of rank, and Jack definitely qualified. Of course, he was also distracted and worried and more than a little annoyed that the injuries Melony had sustained had been the result of friendly fire – so to speak. All the time he'd been worrying about her facing off with the Wraith, and it had been her own friends who'd tried to kill her.

He turned, not waiting for a reaction from any of them, and before Jack could get over his own very considerable shock, Weir had turned to him.

"What happened, General?"

It was Sheppard who answered.

"She was in a dart…"

"_Colonel Mitchell_?"

He nodded.

"Apparently she's well on her way to gaining access to the technology she wants to study, because she had two darts sitting in the ravine and was flying another in when we got there…"

"So you decided she had too many and shot one down?" Weir asked, sarcastically.

O'Neill scowled.

"I didn't _know_ she was in it."

"She flew _right_ over us…" Rodney added. "It looked like a strafing run…" He turned towards the door to the infirmary. "Think she's going to be mad?"

He had fired several shots as well – although he was pretty sure none of his had actually _hit_ the dart. It was very possible, though, that Mitchell would just do guilt by association and be furious with all of them.

"She's not going to be mad," Jack said, his own gaze going towards the door as well. He could hear Beckett calling orders to his staff, but couldn't hear what the orders were, just the worried sound of the doctor's voice in that almost unintelligible brogue he had – made more difficult to understand by his anxiety. "I don't think…"

Daniel wasn't so sure, but he didn't care. _He_ hadn't fired on her – mainly because he'd accidentally left his P90 in the Jumper. He was just worried about her, and wished that Jack would distract everyone else enough that he could sneak in and se how she was doing. Since he was blocking the door, however, that wasn't going to happen.

"Tell me what happened," Weir requested as Kale and the other Light Ones came walking up as well. Once more, she was looking at O'Neill, although Sheppard understood things in this galaxy better than O'Neill did, and was the one who should really respond.

Jack apparently decided that, as well, because he gestured to the Major, who told the story. It wasn't like it was all that long. While Sheppard was talking, Jack turned to Sam, his face slightly curious.

"Did I hear Beckett call Melony, '_Melony'_?"

Carter nodded. She hadn't missed that, either. Sam very rarely called Mitchell by her first name – something that was usually only reserved for those closest to her. Jack did it all the time, of course, as did Daniel. But to hear a stranger do it was just plain odd.

"I heard it too, Sir." She shrugged. "He must have been worried." Otherwise he'd never have called O'Neill to the carpet like he had. Not if he'd thought about it first, Sam was sure.

Jack scowled, and then blanched when he heard a sharp cry of pain from inside the infirmary. Melony's cry of pain.

OOOOOOOOO

The first thing she was aware of was a lot of pain. Pain that was coursing through her body in waves, like the world's worst toothache gone seriously wrong and attacking the rest of her as well. Confused and in considerable shock, she tried rolling away from that pain, only to have strong hands grab her, holding her firmly but carefully in place.

She let out a yelp as the hands caused even more pain, but the hands didn't release her.

"Easy, Melony…" The voice in her ear was so unique and familiar that there was no mistaking it, and she tried to focus on it, attempting to shake the shock and nausea she was drowning in. It didn't work, though.

"Carson…"

"I'm here… try to relax, love…"

He was trying to keep her calm while the medics started injecting her with painkillers, knowing that they'd knock her out soon enough and willing to say whatever it took to do it – even if it meant using a term of endearment he'd never used in public with her.

"I-"

_Steady, Hot Shot…_

Talon was regaining his own senses after the crash, and although he was injured, too, he was already starting to assess damages.

"Relax…"

She couldn't have denied him if she wanted to. Neither of them. Something else was taking over and she felt herself drifting off, and away from the pain.


	14. 14

_Author's Note: This is a little short_

OOOOOO

Jack accosted Carson before he even made it to the door of the infirmary. The doctor was splattered in blood and looked tired, but he wasn't wearing a bleak look that would have told those who knew him that all was not well. Jack didn't know him well enough to know the difference.

"How is she?"

"Considering you tried to kill her?"

Jack scowled, but before he could say anything, Weir stepped in.

"Carson."

He scowled as well.

Sam looked at both men, confused by what she was seeing, because it certainly looked as though Doctor Beckett was holding a grudge against Jack for hurting Colonel Mitchell. A grudge that seemed to be far too personal.

"Is she going to be okay?" Weir asked before Jack could ask again – or wring the doctor's neck.

Carson nodded, turning towards Weir instead of O'Neill.

"We stabilized her and set the broken bone in her arm. Talon's already starting on the more serious injuries, and her breathing is steady again – as well as her blood pressure. It could have been much, much worse considering the circumstances."

"She probably had that shielding device on," McKay said, causing everyone to turn and look at him. "_I_ would have, if I was flying in an alien ship that might have some sort of self-destruct mechanism in it."

He'd have had the Goa'uld one _and_ the Ancient one, if it had been him.

Beckett nodded, thoughtfully.

"It's possible…"

"I want to see her." Jack said.

Big shock there.

"Me, too," Daniel said.

All of them were anxious to see her, of course – the newcomers more than the Atlanteans, because it had been so much longer for them.

Beckett looked like he was going to refuse, but he apparently changed his mind, because he nodded.

"One at a time, and not for long – and don't try to wake her up, because she needs the rest right now more than you need to talk to her."

Jack looked at Daniel, but the archeologist waved him to the door.

"You go first. I can wait."

He knew what Melony meant to him.

Nodding his thanks, Jack followed Beckett through the door and disappeared into the room. Daniel waited for him to leave and then looked at Weir.

"Is it my imagination, or does Doctor Beckett seem to be a lot more familiar with Talon and Colonel Mitchell than most?"

There was an uncomfortable silence as those who knew the truth debated how much would be telling things that Melony or Carson wouldn't want shared.

OOOOOOOO

"Over here…"

Jack followed his guide to a small room off to the side of the main infirmary and hesitated at the door just long enough to get a look at her.

She was lying motionless on a bed, attached to several machines, which were beeping softly as they monitored everything from her heart rate to her respiratory system and several other things Jack didn't even want to know about. She was pale and covered with bandages, but he wasn't so worried about that as he might have been. Not with Talon. He knew the symbiote would heal her, although he didn't like seeing her flat on her back like she was – and definitely didn't like the knowledge that it was his fault she was there.

He went over to stand by her bed, looking down at her while Beckett picked up her chart and looked to see if anything might have changed while he was gone. With a symbiote, you just never knew.

Jack brushed his hand lightly against her cheek, willing her to wake up even though the doctor had told him not to try to wake her. God, he'd missed her so much.

"She's going to be fine…"

Carson had seen the expression on his face, and the concern in his brown eyes and had felt a little of the irritation he'd felt for O'Neill (and the others who had hurt Melony) fade a bit.

Jack looked over at him, his hand taking Melony's.

"When will she wake up?"

"A few hours, a day…" he shrugged. "It depends on Talon, mainly."

Since even Janet Fraiser usually referred to Talon as 'her symbiote', Jack didn't miss the familiarity of the statement. He frowned.

"You… um… seem to be…" he hesitated, trying to come up with the right words. "On fairly good terms with Talon…"

Beckett smiled, and shook his head.

"Not really, but it's not the first injury Melony's obtained since coming here…I've come to rely on him to keep her from extended stays in my infirmary."

"She's been hurt?"

He nodded, setting the chart back down.

"The minute she came through the gate she was attacked by the city itself – or actually, Talon was."

He went on to tell the story of the anti-Goa'uld device that had flattened Melony the minute she emerged from the gate…


	15. 15

It was Talon who nudged Melony awake several hours later. As was the case when he was healing her, he needed her awake at some point so he could ascertain how she was doing and what needed to be worked on and taken care of.

_Hot Shot… wake up…_

She hesitated, unwilling to make that full commitment to wakefulness when she knew it was going to hurt the minute she did. Already she could feel aches and pains from head to toe – especially her head. Why was it that her head always hurt more than anything else?

_Because you always seem to hit it_, Talon told her gently. _It's not so bad, this time. Wake up a little, huh? _

What happened?

_I'm not sure. I know we crashed_

_She_ remembered that, too. And thinking back on it forced her mind to work, which forced her more awake. Which made her head hurt even more – although she really wasn't hurting all that badly, really. Considering how badly they'd crashed now that she remembered it.

_Carson gave you painkillers_

We're back at Atlantis?

She opened her eyes, and wished immediately that she hadn't as pain lanced through her head like a white-hot laser beam.

"Gaaaaaah…"

The noise drew the attention of Carson and Jack, stopping Carson in mid-sentence as he was telling O'Neill the story of Melony's first hours on Atlantis. He'd just been telling the General the extent of the injuries to Talon and how the anti-Goa'uld device had almost killed the symbiote as well as the host.

They both turned to her, Jack's hand enclosing her own in a gentle hold.

"Melony?"

With her eyes screwed as tightly shut as she could get them against the pain in her head, she didn't see him, but she was pretty sure she knew that voice. And it was a voice that didn't belong where she was.

It was enough to make her open her eyes again, although they watered immediately and she closed them again. But not before she'd seen the concerned brown eyes looking down at her. Unforgettable brown eyes.

"Jack?"

He smiled in relief. If she knew who he was, then she wasn't going to die.

"Yeah… I'm here."

"Where… what…?"

Are you sure we're at Atlantis?

She felt his amusement.

_We're there, Hot Shot_

"Carson?"

Jack looked over at Beckett, who flushed. But before either of them could say anything, Melony opened her eyes again, looking around in obvious confusion. Her gaze refocused on Jack.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm glad to see you, too," he told her, gently chiding as he leaned over, pressing his cheek against hers in obvious relief.

She brought her hand up, holding his head in place for a long moment, her eyes closing once more, enjoying a moment of comfort from him. Finally, though, she lowered her hand, too sore and wiped out to hold it up for any length of time.

"How did you get here…?"

"I'll tell you later," he said, pulling his head from hers. "When you're feeling better."

"What happened?"

He frowned, looking over at Beckett, who suddenly had a glint of humor in his eyes as he waited for O'Neill to answer that particular question.

"I'll tell you that later, too," he said, unable to help himself as he leaned over once more and brushed a kiss against her cheek. God, he was so glad to see her alive and well, and wanted nothing more than to pull her into his arms and hug her tightly. Which of course, wouldn't do.

She nodded, wincing at the motion, and turning her head to look over at Beckett.

"Carson?"

"I'm here, Melony."

He came over and took her other hand, smiling gently down at her.

"How do you feel?"

"Sore…"

He nodded, looking over at O'Neill, who was still looking in some surprise between him and Melony, uncertain what he was missing, but well aware that Mitchell was never so familiar with someone unless she liked them. When had she gone to first name basis with the doctor? And what else was he missing? Jack only pretended to be stupid, after all, and he knew there was more going on than he saw. He just didn't know what, and knew this wasn't really the time to find out.

"From what I hear, you had a nasty crash," Beckett was saying, his voice soft, because he knew she had to have a headache. "You'll be okay, though, as I'm sure Talon has already figured out."

_He's right_

I think my head's going to fall off.

_It's not, trust me_

We crashed…

_Yeah_

"What happened to my ship?"

Jack made a face, and this time Carson couldn't help but smile. Jack scowled at the doctor, but the dirty look didn't make the grin fade. He turned to Melony, ignoring Beckett's amusement.

"It… um… crashed…"

She nodded, wincing again.

"I know… I just don't understand…"

Then she remembered that she hadn't crashed. She'd been shot down.

"You shot me down…"

He scowled.

"Not just _me_… I had help."


	16. 16

_Author's Note: Melony and Daniel spent a lot of alone time together when they blew up Fugly and killed all the system lords. They had a lot of time to become friends. Not to mention, she's the one that told him to tell Janet how he really felt about her_.

OOOOOOOOOO

Mitchell frowned. She was still far more groggy than she was lucid, although Jack's very presence was enough to keep her talking when she'd have much rather gone back to sleep.

"You had help…?"

"Melony, you need to rest," Carson said, breaking into the conversation.

"Who's here?" She asked, ignoring Carson for the moment, her eyes still on O'Neill.

"Daniel, Carter and Teal'c."

"How did-"

"Doctor Beckett's right, Melony; you need to get some sleep."

She started to argue with him, but before she could even open her mouth, Talon cut her off.

_They're right. Don't bother to argue, he told her. I've seen what I need to see… and you know I'll heal you faster if you're asleep_

She nodded, and closed her eyes, but opened them again immediately as another thought struck her.

"My dart… how much damage did it take in the crash?"

"Dart?"

Jack looked at Carson, confused.

"The Wraith ship," Beckett explained, understanding what he was asking in that look.

O'Neill hesitated, once more looking guilty.

"It… might be… salvageable…"

Melony looked at him, knowing immediately that he was lying and feeling a surge of annoyance.

"You destroyed it?"

"I didn't know you were in it."

"You didn't bother to find out."

"_Sheppard_ said it was a Wraith," Jack told her, defensively. "How was I supposed to-"

"_Damn_ it…" she scowled, and as battered as she looked it was a horrible expression on her face just then. "I was out looking for _Wraith_ ships. How the hell was I supposed to bring them back? Triple A towing?"

"Melony…"

"I _know_… I need to rest…"

_It's not his fault_, Talon told her, reminding her that Beckett wasn't responsible and didn't deserve to be snapped at. Which was a marked change from his previous antagonism towards the doctor.

She turned to Carson, her expression softening.

"I'm sorry, Carson…"

He nodded, squeezing her hand lightly, and at that acknowledgement, she turned back to Jack, who was watching the two of them speculatively, now. His expression froze though, when she turned back to him.

"This conversation isn't over, Jack," she told him. "I slogged through a swamp on a shitheap of a planet for _three_ days to get a hold of that ship, and I'm not happy about losing it."

Even less happy about having it shot out from underneath her like it had been.

Jack nodded, leaning over and brushing a kiss against her forehead. As angry as he knew she was, he also knew he was glad to see her alive and well enough to be pissed at him, and knew she'd get over being mad eventually. It wasn't like there weren't two more of those ships sitting in that ravine, after all.

"Get some rest, Melony. I'll talk to you again when you wake up and are feeling better."

She nodded, once more reaching up and touching his cheek with her bandaged hand. Annoyed as she was; she _was_ glad to see him.

"You're not leaving?"

He shook his head.

"I'll see you soon. I promise."

"Okay…"

As she closed her eyes, Jack turned to Beckett once more. He wanted to ask what was going on between the two of them, because he'd only seen Melony act like she had with Beckett was when she'd been with Brad Anderson – and Beckett definitely wasn't Melony's type. He didn't ask, though. Not because it wasn't his business – as far as Jack was concerned, _everything_ about Melony Mitchell was his business – but because he didn't want Melony to overhear (or Talon, who would pass it on to Melony). He'd wait.

Carson noticed the odd look, but didn't interpret it correctly, as his next statement proved.

"She'll be fine, General O'Neill," he said, resting his hand lightly on her forehead to check for any sign of fever – even though he knew there wasn't any. He just wanted to touch her. "She might not even remember the conversation you just had."

Jack shook his head.

"She'll remember."

He knew her better than anyone. Of course she'd remember. And even if _she_ didn't, Talon would.

"We'd better let her rest." Carson said. "You can come visit her again when she wakes up."

O'Neill didn't answer, but he did head for the door after squeezing Melony's hand once more. Beckett hesitated a moment longer, checking wires and equipment, making sure everything was working right – which of course it was – and as Jack walked out the door, Carson leaned over and pressed a tender kiss to the corner of her mouth.

"I love you…" he whispered.

Far more asleep than awake, she mumbled something he didn't understand, and fell silent once more, and Carson followed O'Neill out the door.

OOOOOOO

"How is she?" Daniel asked, immediately. Jack had been in there a lot longer than Daniel had expected, and he was anxious for his own chance to see Melony – although he did hope that the long visit meant that Mitchell had woken up or something.

Jack smiled, slightly.

"She woke up for a minute," he answered, knowing Daniel wasn't the only one worried about her. The others had gathered fairly quickly as well, telling him that even though the Atlanteans hadn't known her anywhere near as long as Melony had, they still liked her. Which didn't surprise him at all.

"What did she say?" Weir asked.

"Oh… she's not really all that happy with us at the moment," Jack replied.

"Meaning she knows you shot her down?" McKay asked.

"Hey. I didn't do it alone," Jack said, scowling. "And I'm going to make sure she knows it."

The minute she woke up again.


	17. 17

"Doctor Weir was just telling us about some of the other races they've met," Carter told O'Neill, ignoring the threat of being mentioned as a conspirator to shoot Mitchell down. Time enough to worry about that later, after all.

Jack looked at Kale, who was towering above the others.

"Yeah?"

She nodded, as did Kale and several of the others.

"Some of them have proven to be allies we can depend on, General," Weir said, also turning to Kale. "The Light Ones and the Farmers who live on the planet with them have proven not only to be good trading partners, but Kale here is the one who helped Colonel Mitchell find the lava base."

Jack scowled. His first impression of the Light One hadn't been all that favorable – of course he'd been irritated at the time, which would always color things, he knew – and he hated to have to change an impression once he'd made it.

"Is that so?"

Kale smiled, not at all taken back by the stranger's scowl. He'd finally figured out who this man was, and had realized that this was the one person Colonel Mitchell had spoken of most frequently as they'd sat around fires on quiet evenings, talking. Kale liked Jack O'Neill already, whether O'Neill wanted him to or not.

"Colonel Mitchell is seeking an end to the Wraith – an admirable and noble cause – and one my people would aid by any means we can."

"Ah."

Well what could he say to _that_?

"So… do you live here, then?" Daniel asked Kale, his gaze also taking in Kelan and Char.

Kale shook his head, but before he could say anything, Weir interrupted.

"The Light Ones have discovered a type of power source on their planet and Kale and the others are here to show them to us, to see if they're something we can use."

"And are they?" Sam asked.

"They're-"

"Why don't we take this conversation out of the hallway?" Jack asked, interrupting as well. He didn't want to stand around when he didn't have to, and he didn't like having the Light Ones towering above him like they did. Sitting would be better.

Weir nodded, seeing the reasoning behind that.

"Let's go back to the conference room. Rodney? Will you go get the device Kale and the others brought?"

"I'd like a tour of this place," Daniel said, looking around. If Jack wasn't worried enough about Melony to want to stay by her side, then Daniel wasn't going to panic over her being injured, either, and he was beginning to realize that he was actually in the lost city of Atlantis. Atlantis!

"Later, Daniel," Jack told him.

"But, Jack, we're-"

"I know, Daniel. Later."

He didn't care about Atlantis. Really, he didn't care about the technology that the Light Ones – or anyone else – could bring to the table, either. He just wanted to hear more about the Wraith, and knew that the technobabble was probably more important to the goal Melony had given herself than the city was. And he wanted to know more about the people Mitchell and the others had aligned themselves with. Melony was a fine judge of character – she liked Jack after all, right? – but he wanted to see for himself what kind of people Kale and the others were.

Daniel was disappointed, but he didn't argue. Plenty of time to see the city, he supposed. It wasn't like they were leaving that afternoon or anything – although they definitely had the ability to get back, and Sam had made sure to send a message back through the gate before it had dropped, telling Hammond that they were safe – and had found the missing expedition as well. So the people in the SGC wouldn't be worrying about them, either.

The group turned and headed back for the end of the hall, which led to the briefing room, but Jack held back for a minute, gesturing to Beckett.

"If she wakes up – even for a minute – come get me."

The doctor nodded. He was pretty certain, though, that Talon would keep Melony out for a while, to facilitate his healing.

OOOOOOOO

"So this thing isn't a ZPM?" Sam asked, looking at the device that Rodney had brought to the briefing room, sitting it on the table in front of them all.

McKay shook his head.

"There are similarities, I'll admit, but they don't generate anywhere near the power the ZedPMs do – although it's still an important find – and it's always possible that the Light Ones will find even more powerful ones when they continue to search their city."

"Tell me again why you don't live there anymore?" Daniel asked.

"Because we do not-"

"Daniel." Jack interrupted, again. He wasn't in the mood for a story. Especially since they'd skirted this issue once already. "Later."

"So…" Char had turned to Teal'c, who had remained mostly silent during the last hour or so while the others had been speaking. The Jaffa intrigued the Light Ones, though – as he did Teyla as well – for the same reason Mitchell did. Teal'c's symbiote caused his life force to shine brighter than those around him, as Talon did for Mitchell. And the Light Ones had heard of the Jaffa from Kale, who had heard of them from Melony. "Do your people truly believe Colonel Mitchell is their god?"

Teal'c turned to O'Neill, wondering if he should answer this, but Jack shrugged. Who knew what Melony had told them – although Jack knew that she would never have boasted about such a thing.

"Many of them do, yes," Teal'c said. "I, myself, know better – although my people owe her a great debt, as do I."

"She's a worthy ally," Kale said with affection, causing Jack to scowl. He didn't like how chummy everyone was with Melony – especially the tall aliens.

Of course, he hadn't missed just how chummy Elizabeth Weir seemed to be with Kale, either – that was hard to miss, considering how close he was sitting to her and the tender looks he'd toss her direction. Jack wasn't so sure he liked that, either, and he knew he didn't like the way Char was looking at Carter whenever she spoke up. Something about these people just oozed sex appeal, and Jack didn't like that, either.

"Back to these non ZPM things," Jack said, ending the mutual admiration society meeting for the moment. "What can we do with them?"

McKay shrugged.

"We can use them to power the systems in Atlantis for several years."

"That's it?"

"They're not that powerful, General. They're much better than our own generators, but they're-"

"What if we could augment their power?" Sam asked.

"What?"

"We brought crystals with us," Sam said, gesturing to the bag they'd brought through the gate with them. It was filled with the crystals they'd received from Tao. "Similar to the ones that Colonel Mitchell used on _Fugly_ when she-"

"How many did you bring?" Rodney asked. He didn't need her to tell him what the crystals did; he already knew. How many times had he wished he had some here on Atlantis?

"Several."

"Why?" Weir asked. "What crystals? What-"

"With even one good-sized crystal we could bring the shields back online," Rodney said, interrupting. "With more than that, we could have a steady power source to bring the gate online, able to go back to Earth at any time – and could send back some of the power devices so they could open the gate to us at any time as well."

Weir stared at him.

"They're that powerful?"

"They're not powerful at all, Doctor Weir," Sam said. "They simply augment the power in other things."

"Could you imagine what they could do with a ZPM…?" Rodney said, speculatively.

There was a silence around the table at that statement. Most of them didn't have a clue, but the ones who did looked so stunned at the thought that the others couldn't deny that it had to be something fearful indeed.


	18. 18

Jack finally broke into the silence.

"So we can use the crystals and the things that… Kale and his buddies… brought here to open a gate back to Earth anytime?"

McKay nodded.

"And we can do it from anywhere?"

"No. The Atlantis gate is the only one that will gate to Earth. The Ancients set it up that way as a failsafe against the Wraith. They wanted-"

"Do the Wraith _know_ about Earth?" Jack interrupted.

Weir shrugged.

"We're not sure."

"They didn't find out about it from Colonel Sumner," Sheppard said. "And non of our other people have fallen into their hands long enough to be interrogated. I'd say they have to wonder where the new threat is coming from, but I don't think they know about Earth, no."

"We need to keep it that way," Jack said. "If the Wraith are that dangerous-"

"They are." Rodney interrupted.

"Then we need to keep them _here_."

"Colonel Mitchell had the same idea, General," Weir said. "Which is why she set up her lab on another planet and wasn't coming to Atlantis through that gate, instead planning on going through that gate to A-021, which is uninhabited, and coming here from there, and vice versa. That way there wouldn't be any trail back here."

"But you guys are able to go straight there?"

Weir shrugged.

"We didn't plan on going to visit all that often – and knew she'd come to us when she needed something or had information we could use. The Wraith were something _she_ was studying – we were still trying to find a way home. That was _our_ primary goal."

Jack nodded; that made sense, and it sounded like a plan Melony would come up with.

"So now that we have the ability to make contact with Earth…?"

"We need to concentrate on the Wraith." This was from Sheppard.

"I would like to see one of the Wraith," Teal'c said. He still looked as if he didn't actually believe that they existed – and Talon had been just as skeptical, Sheppard remembered. It had to be a Goa'uld/Jaffa thing.

"We have videos and reports," Weir said, looking at Teal'c, but including everyone in the invitation.

Jack nodded, standing up and effectively ending the meeting.

"That's the first order of business, then. I want to know as much about these things as I can. Once Melony wakes up, I'm going to want to be able to ask her what her intentions are now that she has… a _couple_… of Wraith ships to study, and what she needs from us."

And what he'd be able to do to help, because the Atlantean expedition might have intended to let her face these things alone, but Jack had no intention of allowing it. And unlike them, _he_ had the rank to make her do what he wanted her to do – even if he had to bully her into it.

Weir nodded.

"You're planning on being here a few days?"

"If not longer."

"We'll find you some quarters, then."

"Thank you."

"_I'd_ still like that tour…" Daniel said.

"I can show you around," Teyla offered.

"Great."

This would kill two birds with one stone, since it would also give him a chance to ask her about her people and their customs – once an archeologist, always an archeologist, after all.

"I want to see the reports," Sam said.

"As do I."

"We'll set it up in the lounge," Weir said, gesturing to Rodney and asking him in that gesture to take care of it.

McKay nodded, and headed out the door.

"Follow me."

Everyone except Daniel and Teyla did just that, filing out of the room with very little conversation. The Athosian looked at Daniel, her expression cheerful.

"What would you like to see first?"

OOOOOOOOO

The lounge turned out to be just that – although Jack had expected another briefing room of sorts. This room was large and filled with all the comforts of home – literally. It looked like this was where they'd brought all the things they'd brought from home – including books of all sorts, several videos which were neatly stacked next to a large view screen (that didn't look like anything they'd brought with them and was probably an Ancient one modified for their own use) and even a couple of bowls of popcorn.

"How are your supplies holding up?" Jack asked, looking at the popcorn in surprise. Of course, popcorn wasn't like beef or something – it lasted forever if you didn't pop it – but he was still surprised they had any left.

"We're glad to see yours," Weir admitted. "We ran out of MREs and other basics fairly early on, but have been bartering with Kale and several other races of peoples for what we need – and some of the Athosians have taught us to use raw materials like grains to bake breads and such."

"How about coffee and-"

"We're fine on coffee," McKay said, smugly. "One of the first things Colonel Mitchell found on Talonopolis was a large number of bushes that grow berries extremely similar to coffee beans once they're harvested and dried. We've managed to stay ahead of that need – although I do hope you've brought some candy, because I want chocolate."

Sam smiled.

"I know we brought some."

Plus the MREs all had candy in them – or cookies or something.

"We brought extra coffee," Jack said. Daniel had insisted on bringing an extended supply, and Jack had known that Melony would never turn down a cup. It was absolutely no surprise to him that Melony had found coffee once hers had given out. If there was a deserted planet with only one coffee bean buried twenty feet down and under a large pile of stones, he knew she would have been able to find it.

"We can always use it," Weir said, smiling. She gestured for them to sit down, and everyone – including Kale and the other two Light Ones, as well as Sheppard, and McKay all sat down. They already knew what was on the videos – Kale knew somewhat as well – but they'd stick around in case there were questions.

"I could use a cup," Jack said, sitting on one of the sofas next to Carter, and scowling when Kale sat beside him.


	19. 19

The Atlantis expedition had been there for a long time, and it was apparent to everyone – Jack, Sam and Teal'c in particular – that they hadn't wasted that time. They'd sent several teams to many different locations looking for trade, power supplies and allies, and for each trip through the gate there was a record. In many instances a video record as well as a paper record – and a record transferred to a computer file. As they watched the videos, Weir had brought in the other records as well, a laptop for O'Neill to peruse files and the paper copies as well in case he preferred the older method.

After an hour or so, McKay grew bored with the whole thing, and left, mumbling something about checking the power supply devices that the Light Ones had brought – although there was no doubt in Weir's mind that he was going to go find some candy and probably something more filling as well to eat. After McKay left, Daniel showed up with Teyla, smiling at the novelty of the city they were in – although he murmured to Sam that he hadn't even seen a fraction of it in the tour that he'd been given. The city was too immense for a single tour – and Teyla had told him that they hadn't even seen all of it yet.

Weir excused herself a short time later to work on some paperwork of her own, and Jack asked for something to eat to be brought in, his eyes never leaving the paper he was looking at. Kale left with Weir, as did the other Light Ones, and Ford soon thereafter. Eventually, it was Jack and SG-1 left in the room with Sheppard – who was there in case O'Neill had any questions.

Jack had to admit that Sheppard was far better at reports than he was. It was obvious that the Major had written all the paper ones out, because they were all written in the same neat, small handwriting that was far easier to read than Jack's own chicken scratches were. In his reports, Sheppard also added his own personal opinions – usually on a separate piece of paper, telling the reader what he thought he might have done differently, or commenting on a particularly brave or selfless act performed by one of his command. Jack was surprised to see in the notes that McKay seemed to be showing some aptitude for field work, and seemed to be a little less of a self-centered weasel then he had been. Only a little, though. Weasels never changed their whiskers, after all. And McKay still had beady eyes.

Finally, several hours later, Jack finally looked up from the last of the reports, and over at Sam, who had dozed off beside him, her cheek resting against the back of the sofa they were sitting on and her head tilted slightly back. Chagrined, he looked over and saw that Daniel had fallen asleep as well, stretched out on another sofa with an empty coffee cup on his chest, rising and falling with every breath the archeologist took. Teal'c was awake, however, looking through a computer file on Steve – the Wraith that Sheppard had captured, Sheppard himself was quietly sitting at a table, working on paperwork of his own. No doubt writing a report on the events of the last day. But the Major looked tired, too.

And Jack realized that it had been a long day for all of them.

He cleared his throat, gaining Sheppard's attention as well as Teal'c's as he reached out and gently shook Sam's shoulder. She came awake instantly, even as Teal'c and John turned to look at him.

"I've seen enough."

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed. He turned to Sheppard. "The Wraith have long been thought to be a myth by the Goa'uld – I can see they are quite real."

"And even more dangerous than I first thought," Jack added, grimly. "I do have some more questions, but they can wait. It's been a long day, and everyone's tired."

Longer for them than for the Atlanteans, since it was only evening Atlantis time, and long after midnight SCG time.

Sheppard nodded.

"I checked to see what rooms Doctor Weir assigned your team. Would you like to go get some sleep?"

"I'm going to head to the infirmary before I do," Jack said, standing up and stretching muscles that were a little stiff from being inactive for so long. "The rest of you might as well call it a night, though, and get something to eat and take some down time."

Sam stood up as well, annoyed with herself for falling asleep – even though her day had been even longer than O'Neill's. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that the simple snacks that had been brought to them while they'd watched the videos and read the reports hadn't been all that hearty a meal. She reddened when Jack looked over at her; amused by her rumbling stomach, and to hide that she went over and knelt beside Daniel, waking him up as well.

"You can find your way to the infirmary, Sir?" Sheppard asked.

"Yeah. Go ahead and show them where we're going to be sleeping."

He had no intention of sleeping too far away from Melony that night anyways. Beckett _wasn't_ Fraiser, and wouldn't be able to keep Jack away from Melony's bedside.

OOOOOOOOO

A loud argument woke Mitchell from what had been a very restless slumber.

"She needs sleep, General."

"I'm not going to wake her up."

"General-"

"Doctor Beckett, if you don't let me see her I'm going to toss you off-"

"You're going to wake her-"

"No, I'm-"

Her head pounding in time with her heartbeat, Melony closed her eyes even tighter, trying to ignore the voices, which were getting louder as both men got angrier.

_Relax, Hot Shot_, Talon said, not bothering to hide his amusement when O'Neill's next threat involved feeding Beckett to Teal'c. _I can take care of the headache if you relax a little_

Take care of the headache and I'll be able to relax…

_Not with all that going on_

True.

She did as he told her, though, knowing that it was easier for him to heal her when she wasn't fighting it – or tense. Which was why he usually put her to sleep when she needed healing. A moment later the pounding faded into something a little more manageable, and Melony was able to open her eyes without feeling like daggers were being stabbed through her ears.

She was in a small area, surrounded by curtains – presumably to close out any sounds and keep the real world from intruding on her sleep.

_How's that for irony_? Talon asked, still amused as the shouting match raged on just outside the curtain.

"Jack?"

He didn't hear her over his own grumbling, or couldn't hear her through the curtains – one or the other – and Melony sighed. Her head wasn't pounding so bad, but she still didn't feel like shouting for their attention.

_You don't need to, Hot Shot_, Talon reminded her. _You're in range, now…_

That's right; she'd forgotten. She raised her wrist, pulling back the Velcro covering on the special wrist communicator, and keying in the signal that triggered the watch-like device on Jack's own wrist – if he was still wearing it, of course. They didn't have voice to voice abilities like the one she had with Daniel, but she could still get his attention with it.


	20. 20

Too tired to keep her eyes open once she'd keyed Jack's code into her communications device, Mitchell closed her eyes, knowing it would take a moment for the signal to go through – even though he was only some ten feet away.

_You'll know when it goes through anyways_, Talon told her, his 'voice' cheerfully smug, although Melony couldn't tell if it was because she wasn't hurt so much or because Jack was really chewing Beckett out for trying to keep him away from her bedside.

"You listen to me, you quack, I'm not going to sta-"

Sure enough, he was in mid-tirade and just getting on a roll when he felt a sharp vibration against his wrist. Nothing painful, just so completely unexpected that he was actually brought up short, his hand coming up automatically. So quickly in fact, that Carson saw his surprised look and was concerned.

"What is it?"

He looked at the device on his wrist, pressed the receive button – a button he hadn't needed to use in what seemed to be forever – and grinned.

_Quiet, I'm sleeping!_

"She's awake."

He brushed past Beckett, who was wondering how he could know that just from looking at his watch, and moved the curtain that was around Melony's bed aside, walking through it and coming over to look down at her.

Melony opened her eyes when she heard him approach, and even managed a faint smile.

"Do you and Talon stay up late at night trying to think of ways to worry me…?" he asked her, sitting down on the edge of her bed and reaching out to brush a stray lock of blonde hair out of her eyes. She was due a haircut, he decided.

"You shot me down…"

"That was an accident."

"Your gun accidentally went off, pointing in my direction?"

The way she said it, he knew she was over being really mad at him – although she would probably still be a bit ticked later. He hoped so, anyways, because so far he'd been the only one she'd yelled at.

Jack smiled.

"You were in an unknown craft, and flew right over me. It was an automatic reaction."

"I didn't know anyone was there."

Not until she'd actually flown over them.

"You should have looked."

"You could have sent me a message telling me you were in the area."

"How was I supposed to do that?"

She held up her wrist – the one with the communications device on it – and Jack scowled. Yeah, he could have sent her a message. He just hadn't even thought about it.

"It's more than just a watch, you know…"

"Daniel didn't think to send you a message, either," Jack told her defensively.

"Did he shoot at me?"

There was a moment's hesitation as Jack debated lying, and then a sigh.

"No. But _other_ people did."

Mitchell grinned, and reached for his hand, ready to stop the wrangling for a moment. She wasn't really all that ready for that – although it felt so good to have him close, and be able to tease him. She could have done without being shot down, though – and the loss of the dart was a serious annoyance, because she only had three. _Two_.

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked, catching the change in her demeanor easily. He knew her better than anyone else, after all.

"Tired. A little sore…" She shrugged awkwardly, because that hurt a bit. "More tired than anything."

"That'll be because Talon's healing you," Carson said, coming around and sitting on the other side of the bed, opposite O'Neill, who frowned at the familiarity in his voice and actions once more.

Melony nodded; she already knew that.

"I'd better leave you alone and let you get some rest," Jack said, but before he could make a move to leave, Melony's hand tightened on his and she shook her head.

"No. We need to talk. There's things going on and plan-"

"I know about the Wraith, Melony," Jack told her, calmly. "While you've been sleeping, we've been getting caught up on things that have been happening. I'm not completely in the loop yet, but I'm close, and the rest can wait until you're more able to tell me what's going on – and what exactly you have planned."

"How did you get here?" She asked, taking him at his word. Besides, she didn't feel like arguing. If he thought it could wait, it could.

"Toa found some more of those crystal things, we asked him what he wanted for them, a bunch of hotdogs later, here we are – and with enough to get home, too."

"The augmenting crystals?" Mitchell asked, her eyebrows coming up into her hair.

Jack nodded, and Melony felt a surge of excitement from Talon.

_Ask him how many_

"How many?" She repeated, dutifully.

Jack shrugged.

"More than he gave us," he said. "Carter can tell you more than I can, but I think if you want more than what we have, you're going to have to be the one to ask. No matter if we gave him every hotdog in New York."

She smiled, and could feel Talon withdrawing slightly from her as he debated what advantage they could gain from the sudden addition of the crystals. Of course, most of that would depend on how many there were and how big they were, but it was a definite boon.

"I'll ask her…"

"Later, though," Jack said.

"Yeah."

"I'm going to leave you alone so you can sleep."

She nodded, her hand tightening on his for a moment.

"I'll call you…"

He smiled.

"You do that."

With that, he stood up and left her alone, heading for the door, content to go get some rest since he'd seen her and talked to her and knew that she was going to be fine.

Melony turned her head towards Carson, who was actually looking at the readouts on the screen monitoring her vital signs. She squeezed his hand, though, drawing his attention to her, and he smiled down at her.

"You should rest…"

"Did you tell him about us…?"

He paled and shook his head.

"He'll kill me."

Melony smiled, and she heard Talon's amused snort of agreement.

"I'll tell him, then. Later."

Carson nodded, and leaned over, kissing her softly. He couldn't even chide her for worrying him, because it hadn't been her fault she'd been hurt.

"You do that, and let me know in advance, so I can be on another planet."

"He's not going to kill you."

"He's been fairly terse with everyone – especially me."

"He'll get over it."

Carson nodded, again. One could always hope.

"Get some sleep. I'll come by and check on you later."

She nodded and closed her eyes, more than willing to comply.


	21. 21

"These will be your quarters, Sir."

Jack nodded to the Lieutenant who had been waiting for him outside the infirmary door when he'd finished talking to Melony to guide him to his rooms.

"Thank you."

"Doctor Weir says when you're rested that she'll be available for any questions you might have."

Jack nodded again, and looked at the door, wondering where the doorknob was.

"Like this, Sir."

The Lieutenant waved his hand along the panel to the right of the door and it swooshed open.

"You don't even need to have the Ancient's gene to make it work," he explained, waiting politely for the General to precede him into the room.

Of course, Jack _had_ the Ancient gene, so it didn't matter if he needed to have it or not, but he didn't say that as he walked into the room, looking around with interest now that no one was watching him. It was fairly large with a decent sized bed and a dresser of some sort against one wall. On the top of the dresser were the two packs Jack had brought – one carrying e couple spare uniforms, one filled with weaponry and a few personal possessions.

A half-opened door led to a bathroom, which had a sink, toilet and shower. Jack was almost disappointed – he'd expected something a little more… well... _alien_. Of course, the Ancients had been human long before the _humans_ had been human so he supposed it only made sense that they used similar facilities – or at least ones that had been readily adapted to the expedition's uses.

Ah well.

Jack dismissed the Lieutenant and closed the door behind him, and flopped down on the bed. It turned out to be fairly comfortable, and the bedspread looked and felt like it was filled with down. He wondered idly as he ran his hand along it if there were Ancient geese somewhere, stripped naked just for him.

He rolled off the bed, deciding that a hot shower would help him relax enough to sleep – he was still a little wound up from the events of the day, and the threat of the Wraith wasn't something that made for instant sleep. He grabbed the pack with his clothes, and headed for the bathroom.

OOOOO

"This place is amazing…"

Sam nodded, sitting on the bed in her quarters, with Daniel sitting across from her. The archeologist's brown hair was still damp from the shower he'd just taken, but he didn't even seem to mind. Instead he was telling Sam about the tour he'd been given.

"Teyla says that they haven't even explored a _third_ of the place."

"Well, they _have_ had other things to worry about."

Daniel shrugged.

"True. But can you _imagine_ what they haven't found yet? I mean, there's every possibility that under us somewhere in the city is-"

"Daniel?"

"Yeah?"

"You can't go off exploring, so don't even start thinking about it, okay?"

"I wasn't going to go off-"

Sam smiled. He was so easy to read sometimes. Especially when he was excited like this.

"Yes you were."

"I-"

"You were thinking about it."

Well… maybe he'd _thought_ about it. Not necessarily going off by himself, but maybe grabbing Teyla – or pretty much anyone who knew their way around – and heading down to one of the areas that hadn't yet been explored.

"Well…"

Sam's smile grew. Of course he'd been thinking about it. It was _Atlantis_ for crying out loud.

"General O'Neill would be pretty annoyed if he had to send out a search party to come find you, Daniel."

Bah.

"I know, Sam… but still; I mean… it's…"

He flung his hands up, far too excited to think about leaving so she could get some sleep.

"Atlantis."

"Yeah."

"There'll be time for looking around," Sam promised. "When Melony wakes up, you might even be able to convince her to show you around a little."

He brightened at that thought, but only for a minute.

"She'll probably be too busy…"

"But she can always send you off with Major Sheppard or someone who knows the place well," Sam pointed out. "Even if _she's_ busy checking out the crystals and those Wraith ships – _darts_ – we all know that you're not going to be all that much help with the technology issues…"

"Which means there'll be time for me to do a little exploring of my own…"

"Exactly. With someone else to show you around," she added.

His face brightened.

"You're a genius."

Sam nodded.

"I know. Now get out of my room so I can go to bed."

He grinned, and rolled off her bed, standing up and heading for the door.

"I'll see you tomorrow. Or whatever it is, here."

"Sleep well, Daniel."

Yeah, right. _Sleep_?

OOOOOOOO

"Are you sure you have to go?"

Kale smiled gently, his pale eyes unreadable as he looked at Weir, who had come down to the gate to see him and the others off. The three Light Ones were naked once more, carrying their clothing under their arms in small bundles that could be carried in talons once they transformed on the other side of the active gate.

"We need to inform the Council of what is occurring here, Elizabeth," he told her. "I have a feeling that monumental events are on the horizon, and my people need to be prepared to assist yours if we can. And to do that, we need to keep them in the loop, as you would say."

"You'll be back?"

"Tomorrow or the next day," Kale confirmed.

Weir sighed, but it was a soft sound that no one heard. The Light One reached out and touched her cheek.

"I have good reason to wish to return. And not because of the sudden appearance of your fellow humans."

Elizabeth blushed a brilliant shade of red, pleased by the compliment and embarrassed at the same time. Before she could say anything, though, Kale bent and brushed a tender kiss against her temple, and turned and headed through the gate, disappearing behind Kellan and Char.

Clearing her throat as the gate disengaged, she turned, surreptitiously looking to see if anyone had noticed. The people in the control room had, of course, but no one was looking her way just then, giving her as much privacy as they could in a situation that couldn't have been kept private.

Weir smiled her thanks, and headed for her quarters. It was early, but she figured the next day was going to be a long one, so she might as well get some rest while she could.


	22. 22

It was a measure of just how impressive the Ancient's shielding device working collectively with the Goa'uld shielding device worked when Melony woke up several hours after her last conversation with Jack, feeling a little tired, a bit sore but more than ready to get up and have a more serious discussion with the people around her.

Even _more_ impressive; Talon agreed, instead of telling her to go back to sleep like she half expected him to.

_No, we need to get up and running,_ Hot Shot, he told her. _There are several things happening at once, and you and I need to know everything, so we can make some plans. Besides, our original plans can change; now, and probably will _have_ to_

"Because of Jack," Melony said, sitting up in the bed, and starting to pull off the little wires and sucker cups that had her attached to the machines that had been monitoring her vitals.

_Yes_

She didn't need Talon to explain. Jack was there, and there was absolutely no way he'd allow her to go off picking a fight with the Wraith without him. Her introspection, however,was interrupted by the arrival of a medic, who looked surprised to see her sitting up.

"Colonel Mitchell… you should be _sleeping_…"

"Where's Doctor Beckett?" Melony asked, ignoring the admonishment.

"He's asleep. I was supposed-"

Good.

Melony got out of bed, staggering just a little as a painful twinge stabbed through her right calf, but otherwise staying on her feet.

"You're not supposed to get up, yet," the medic said, doubtfully. "Doctor Beckett said that you'd sleep the night through."

"Nope. I'm awake. And I need to take care of some things."

"But Doctor Be-"

"Lieutenant."

While she didn't have any authority over Carson, she did have rank over all his staff, who were almost entirely composed of military doctors – and even though they were – _technically_ – under his command and not hers, Mitchell had the ability to use that command tone of voice that automatically gained the attention of military personnel. Actually, it tended to get the attention of non-military personnel as well most of the time, also. And she used it when she needed to.

The Lieutenant snapped to attention in an almost Pavlovian reaction to that tone of voice, and Mitchell took advantage of that distraction to limp past her and out the door.

OOOOOOOO

"Well… crap…"

"Can I help you, sir?"

Daniel sighed, and turned to look at the Marine who had come up behind him.

"Yeah… I seem to have… um… misplaced my… quarters."

The Sergeant didn't grin, but there was definitely a gleam of amusement in his eyes when he spoke next. While he didn't know who _exactly_ Daniel was, he did, however, know that he was one of the members of SG-1 who had come through the Stargate from Earth with General O'Neill, and therefore knew where Doctor Weir had put him and the others.

"I'll be happy to show you to your… _misplaced_… quarters, sir."

"I don't suppose you'd be happy to show me around a little?"

The Sergeant shook his head.

"I'm on duty, sir. I can ask Doctor Weir – or maybe Major Sheppard if they-"

"No." Daniel sighed again, knowing that both parties would probably be asleep. "I should get to my quarters."

The Marine nodded, and gestured for Daniel to follow him, and they headed for the elevator thing that Daniel had just exited.

OOOOOOOO

_If the SGC has truly managed to find a stable method to return to Earth, you realize that means that we can use McKay to help us dissect the Wraith technology, right?_

Melony nodded as she walked, more interested actually in keeping herself upright just then. She wasn't at one hundred percent – although Talon was so excited by the prospects of having almost unlimited resources to assist him that for once he wasn't really paying attention to his host. She was walking, and that was enough for him just then. And really, it was enough for her, as well.

"We can use Sam Carter, too…" She reminded him.

He was silent for a moment, and she felt another surge of excitement. Understandable, since Carter was even smarter than McKay, as far as Talon was concerned. Although Mitchell honestly wasn't sure. Carter was a genius, of course – probably the most brilliant woman on Earth in her field – and _several_ others, but McKay was a fair match for her – intellectually anyways. Melony had her own opinion on other matches for Carter – but that wasn't really her business – unless it came up in conversation, of course.

_True. And-_

Talon's silent musings were interrupted when she turned the corner and saw Daniel and Sergeant Feril walking down the corridor ahead of them. Daniel saw her at the exact same moment, and he grinned, rushing forward, past the surprised Sergeant, and grabbed Mitchell up in a hug before she could say anything.

"Melony!"

She smiled and hugged him as tightly as she could – ignoring the twinges from her battered body. She wasn't _completely_ healed, after all.

"Daniel!"

She felt his lips pressing hard against her cheek, and smiled because he was only one of a few who would kiss her so impudently. Sure enough, an instant later his lips had found hers in an exuberant and purely platonic kiss and then he let her go, still grinning, his eyes bright and excited, even as he searched her expression for signs of injury.

"I thought you were asleep?"

She shrugged, her arm still around him – more for support although she'd never admit it.

"I woke up. What are you doing wandering around the halls at night?"

He flushed, looking guiltily at the Marine, who grinned.

"I was… just looking around a little."

"And got lost?"

"No… I…"

"He _misplaced_ his quarters, Colonel," Feril told her.

She smiled.

"Yes… that happens… the Ancients had… that problem all the time, I'm sure…"

"I need to get back to my post, Colonel. You have him okay?"

"I've got him, Sergeant," she confirmed, her arm tightening on Daniel's lean waist. "Thank you."

Feril nodded and headed back down the hall, and Daniel smiled, running his hand through her silky blonde hair. Another thing that very few people would even think of doing. Daniel, of course, wasn't at all awed by her rank.

"How are you feeling?"

"All things considered…?"

"What things?"

"You shot me down…"

He shook his head, grinning, because he knew that if she was feeling well enough to be exasperated by that, then she wasn't too badly hurt.

"Not me. _I_ didn't even have a gun in my hand."

Besides, he was a terrible shot, and Melony knew it. She smiled.

"Come on, let's go to my quarters."

"Mine are closer… I think."

"Mine has a coffee pot."

"Let's go to yours."

Ha.


	23. 23

"You made this yourself?" Daniel asked, taking another sip of the coffee Mitchell had brewed as soon as they'd reached her quarters.

Melony nodded, walking over with a cup of hot coffee and sitting down on her bed as well. She winced slightly – she wasn't completely healed, after all – and smiled.

"Yup. I harvested this batch, and dried it, and roasted the beans and everything."

Daniel shook his head, looking down into his cup, almost as if he expected the coffee to change colors or start talking to him in a foreign language or something.

"It's _good_."

"Of course it's good."

Like she'd drink anything that wasn't.

Daniel smiled and then looked up at her, his eyes searching her expression for a long moment.

"_You_ look good, Melony…"

It was a question more than a statement, although he meant it. Melony shrugged.

"Considering I crashed and burned half a day ago…"

"No," Daniel said, softly. "That's not what I mean."

When he'd last seen Mitchell, she'd been literally reeling, emotionally, from the sudden and tragic loss of Brad Anderson. Her eyes had been haunted and bleak and her expression had been one of someone who was simply going through the motions of life. Daniel had been certain that if not for Talon, Mitchell would have allowed her grief to consume her, and even with the symbiote it was obvious that she didn't know what to do with herself – and had nothing to focus on besides just how much she was hurting. Daniel had known that she'd volunteered to go to Atlantis because she had needed to put as much distance between her pain and herself as she could – and secretly wondered if she'd hoped to end up among the missing herself.

Now, however… she looked tired and battered – from the um… _accident_… but she didn't look at all as injured – emotionally and mentally – as she had.

"You look good…" he repeated, lamely, unsure how to ask her what had changed to make her put her hurt behind her and start living again.

Melony nodded.

"I'm feeling good, Daniel," she admitted. "It was… rough… for a while, but I-"

A knock on her door startled both of them, and Daniel cursed as he spilled his coffee. Mitchell grinned – mainly because she knew just how much he hated wasting good coffee – and got off the bed, heading for the door, while the archeologist sucked the coffee off his hand, ignoring the burn in favor of the flavor.

"What are you doing out of bed?"

Carson came through the door the moment she opened it, his eyes worried and a tad annoyed. He stopped cold when he saw Daniel, and Melony realized just how bad that it might look for her to have Daniel in her bed like that. Carson didn't have all that much confidence in their relationship as it was – although Melony knew _that_ wasn't her fault – and she wondered if he was going to be jealous.

"Carson. You know Daniel Jackson?"

The Scottish doctor nodded, still surprised at finding Mitchell entertaining company, but he recovered quickly, scowling at her.

"You're not supposed to be out of bed."

"You didn't tell me I had to stay in bed…"

"You're _hurt_."

"I'm fine, Carson."

Daniel watched the two of them, realizing that Beckett was acting a lot more like a worried lover than he was a worried doctor – and who would know better than Daniel? Wasn't _he_ dating a doctor himself? He knew how Janet acted when she was angry with him for worrying her health wise, and Doctor Beckett sure was acting a lot like that.

"You were _asleep_. I couldn't tell you to stay in bed, because I assumed you were going-"

"Carson. I'm fine. Talon and I needed to-"

"You bullied Lieutenant Br-"

"I did not."

"Um…"

They both turned when Daniel spoke up, amusement in his eyes but concern as well. Lover's spat?

"Should I leave you two alone?"

Mitchell scowled, now, becoming annoyed. She wasn't a child to be coddled and she certainly wasn't going to allow Carson to drive Daniel away when she'd only started catching up with him.

"No, Daniel," Melony said. "You're –"

"I'm sorry."

Carson had noticed the warning signs in Melony's expression quickly, and realized that he was in the wrong. He was well within his rights to be worried about her, of course. He was her doctor as well as her lover and both were reason enough to be concerned about her health. But he was crossing the line – Melony's own line – and he knew it. Could tell immediately. If she wasn't healthy enough to be out of bed, Talon would allow her out of bed, and Carson knew that, too.

"When I came in to check on you I was worried when I found you gone…" he added, lamely.

"I needed to get up," she told him, her cloudy expression fading with the apology and explanation. She wasn't completely over the irritation, but she was too happy to have Daniel and Jack in Atlantis to be too angry for long. "And then I ran into Daniel, who had misplaced his quarters, and couldn't resist the opportunity to catch up."

Carson wasn't surprised by this. He knew more about Melony than anyone in the Atlantis expedition, and knew the relationship she had with Daniel Jackson. Thanks to Melony, he also knew that Daniel Jackson was dating someone else and because of this, he didn't feel any of the jealousy that Melony had worried he might be.

"I can understand that," he said. "In your shoes I would have done the same, most likely."

"Do you want to join us?" Daniel invited. "I was just trying the new version of coffee that Melony found…"

Carson hesitated, wondering if she wanted to have some alone time with her friend, but Melony smiled and slid her hand around his waist, letting him know he was welcomed, and confirming without a single word what Daniel was already suspecting.

"Stay, Carson. Daniel's not going to bore you with a bunch of tech chatter, I promise."

Beckett smiled, and shrugged, but there was no way he would refuse if Melony wanted him to stay.

"I'd love a cup of coffee."


	24. 24

True to Melony's word, Daniel didn't bore Carson (or Melony) with talk of technological stuff. First of all, he didn't know nearly as much about the technical stuff as Carter did, and second of all, Mitchell was more interested in hearing about the visit with Tao than she was anything else – telling Daniel that even though she refused to call herself the Jaffa's goddess, she really did concern herself with their welfare.

"He didn't tell us where they found the crystals," Daniel said, watching as Melony leaned against a stack of pillows that Beckett had tucked behind her. Carson was sitting at the foot of the bed, Daniel on the other side, both of them leaving Mitchell the entire head of the bed so she could curl up a bit if she wanted to.

"Did he tell you how many they found?"

Daniel shook his head.

"I don't think he wanted us to know, but I'd bet they have a lot more than they traded to us."

Melony nodded. While relations were much better between the Jaffa and the Tau'ri – given that Jack had met with Tao and they were both still alive, it was a sure sign that relations were better – she knew that Tao still wasn't completely buddy buddy with the idea of just handing out technology to them just because they'd asked.

_If we want more, we'll have to be the ones to ask, as O'Neill mentioned earlier_, Talon told her.

Of course, she wouldn't have to ask – but she would, anyways. And with the crystals they already had, they would be able to go and come back as much as they needed to. Which was an exciting thought.

"I'm surprised they let you have any…" she said, draining her coffee cup. It was the third cup she'd had, and was enough for the night. Especially since she was beginning to feel a little drowsy.

"I think Tao believed us when we told him we couldn't figure out how to get to you," Daniel said, finishing his own cup as well. He liked the new stuff better than regular coffee and wondered if he'd be able to get a handy supply of it to take back home eventually. "And didn't want to risk losing you."

Mitchell shrugged.

"Maybe… but whatever reason it is, I'm glad to have them – and doubly glad that you guys are here."

Daniel smiled.

"I should let you get some sleep – you look beat."

She nodded, glancing at Beckett who was nodding his agreement. Both men stood up, although Carson only reached out and took her cup from her and Daniel's as well, and then heading into the bathroom to rinse them out while Daniel said good night.

"I'll see you in the morning," he told her, leaning over hugging her close once more. He didn't think he'd ever get enough hugging her for the next few days, at least, and Melony didn't mind a bit. She hugged him just as tightly.

"Do you need help finding your lost quarters?"

Daniel flushed slightly, and grinned guiltily.

"They're not far from yours. Just at the end of the hall."

She smiled.

"I'll come find you later, then."

"After you rest."

"Yes, Mother."

She smiled to soften the rebuke, and Daniel reached out and brushed his hand along her hair.

"Good night."

"Night."

He glanced towards the bathroom door where they could both hear water running in the sink, but he didn't say anything. Instead he winked, gave her a smile that made her blush unaccountably, and left her quarters.

A minute later the water turned off and Carson came back out into the bedroom area.

"He's gone?"

She nodded.

"I suspect he knows about us."

The doctor blanched a little.

"Will he tell General O'Neill?"

She smiled and shrugged.

"Don't look so panicked, Carson. My love life is none of Jack's business, but if and when he finds out, he's not going to do anything."

Yeah, well… Carson wasn't so sure about that. Jack O'Neill had the definite big brother mentality when it came to Mitchell and the doctor had noticed it immediately. Add to that the fact that he was already angry with Beckett for trying to keep him away from her bedside, and he was pretty sure his skin wasn't as safe as Melony thought it was.

He didn't say that, though. Instead, he came over and sat down beside her, his eyes wandering over the bruises and cuts on her face that Talon hadn't yet managed to heal.

"How do you feel?"

"A little tired," she admitted.

"Sore?"

She shrugged, unwilling to admit that much.

He reached out and ran his hand lightly along her side, feeling for the swelling that had been there when she'd been carried in, and finding that most of that was down. Obviously the bruises were the least of Talon's worries, but the swelling around the ribs Melony had broken had definitely warranted his more immediate attention.

"Does that hurt?" He asked as his hands slid along her sides. The touch could have just as easily been erotic, except that the concern in his eyes plainly told her that he was in doctor mode, and besides, Melony was not feeling up to anything more physical than drinking those cups of coffee.

She shook her head.

"I'm fine, Carson."

He frowned, but there wasn't much he could say. If she said she was okay, then he'd believe her until she said otherwise. Besides, she was up and about, and Beckett knew that Talon wouldn't allow her to do anything to hurt herself. Which told him if she was really injured, she'd still be in bed.

"Okay. Then you get some sleep, and I'll see you in the morning."

"You're not going to stay?"

He shook his head, and smiled, leaning over and kissing her gently while pulling her blankets up over her to keep her warm.

"If I stay you won't get any sleep at all."

She smiled at the truth of that, and ignored Talon's amusement.

"I'll see you in the morning, then."


	25. 25

_Author's Note: After watching the letters home episode last friday, I couldn't help but want to add this in._

OOOOOO

When Jack O'Neill finally dragged himself out of bed the next morning, he didn't feel any more refreshed than he had when he'd gone to bed the night before. Of course, part of that had to do with the fact that he hadn't slept well – despite the fact that the bed had been incredibly comfortable. He'd had the new problem of the Wraith running through his mind all night, his agile brain already trying to form plans and defenses against a race of creatures he knew next to nothing about. Add to that the fact that he was still a little worried about Melony – who would always be a constant source of concern to him for as long as he lived – and it didn't make for a recipe for a good night's sleep. But once he woke up, he didn't even try to go back to sleep. There was too much to do, and he wanted to check on Melony and see if Carter had come up with anything yet. Usually, she was the first to come up with something – and Jack was sort of counting on that.

He showered, shaved and once more looked around the perfectly normal bathroom with just a little disappointment. Then he dressed, slipping his holster around his waist, but leaving his P90 where it was, since he was pretty sure he wasn't going to need it just then. The Beretta and zat, however, wouldn't leave his side until they returned home. Ready to face the day, he palmed opened his door and stepped out into the hall, and was promptly absconded by a tall man with a ponytail dressed in one of the scientist uniforms.

"General O'Neill?"

Jack scowled. Then realized that maybe Dr. Weir had told this guy to wait for him to make an appearance and take him to… wherever they were all going to meet. Jack would have preferred a cup of coffee before dealing with a scientist. Well… _this_ scientist, anyways.

"Yes?"

The man gave him a greasy smile that Jack didn't like immediately.

"I'm Doctor Eric Kavanaugh – one of the astrophysicists here on-"

"_Yes_?"

He didn't care.

"I'd like to talk to you, sir, if you have a moment…?"

Jack scowled again. He didn't have a moment. He wanted a cup of coffee. However, he also couldn't help himself.

"About what?"

"I'd like to draw your attention to the fact that Doctor Weir has made several decisions during our time here that have put the lives of the entire expedition in serious jeopardy, General. She's reckless at the best of times, and plays footloose and fancy free with the lives of those around her. Obviously, she wasn't the best choice to lead this expedition and I was-"

Jack held up his hand, stopping the rush of words – which sounded like the guy had been waiting forever to say this.

"Doctor…?"

"_Kavanaugh_, General…"

"Kavanaugh," Jack repeated, his eyes already cold – a sure warning sign to those who knew him well, and most who didn't. "Did you get drafted for this expedition?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean… did someone come to your house in the middle of the night and kidnap you, forcing you to come here?"

Kavanaugh hesitated, but shook his head.

"No, General. I volunteered. Who _wouldn't_ have? The chance to explore At-"

"So you willingly came. Willingly put yourself under the command of-"

"Not of _Doctor_ _Weir_, General. I-"

"_I_ put Weir in charge of this expedition," Jack said, his eyes flashing angrily. "I did. _Me_. _Moi_. I sent her here with a group of the _smartest_ people Earth had to offer so that they could do all their searching and discovering and whatever the hell else they were going to do. Now, I don't know how a weasel like you managed to sneak into that group, but from what I've seen so far Weir has done a fine job dealing with a situation that none of us ever could have-"

"General, I-"

Jack's temper completely snapped. He hated being interrupted at the best of times; to be interrupted by a conniving backstabber was intolerable. His hand shot out, grabbing Kavanaugh's jacket and pushing him back against the closest wall, slamming him not at all gently.

"I don't like being interrupted, Kavanaugh," Jack told him. "Now… as I was saying. I put Weir in charge, and I'm more than satisfied with the job she is doing – and has done. Obviously, you are not, and that's really just too fucking bad. I do notice that you're alive, though, which probably has something to do with some decision that Doctor Weir has made in the past, so instead of sneaking around her back and criticizing her, maybe you ought to get your head out of your ass and start doing your job."

"Sir, I didn't mean to offend y-"

"I'm not offended," Jack told him, letting go of the jacket with a final shove. "I'm disgusted. If you're any example of the support Weir's been getting around here then it's a miracle any of you are still alive."

"He's not."

The quiet voice drew O'Neill's attention from Cavanaugh, and both men looked over to see Sheppard standing outside the open door to a set of quarters that were probably his. The Major was leaning against a wall, making Jack wonder how long he'd been there, and making Kavanaugh flush hotly at having had this dressing down witnessed by someone else.

Jack spoke first.

"No?"

Sheppard shook his head.

"The others – most of them – are behind Weir a hundred percent, General. And Mitchell, too, for that matter. The good doctor here," and it was obviously an insult from the way Sheppard put it, "is a definite minority when it comes to his opinions of Weir's ability to lead."

"And yourself?" Jack asked.

Sheppard looked at Kavanaugh, pointedly, and Jack glanced over at the doctor as well.

"Grownups are talking here, Kavanaugh," O'Neill told him. "Go find something to do. And if I hear another word about this from anyone – and I do mean _anyone_ – I'll toss you off a cliff."

The doctor flushed again, looked as though he was going to say something, and obviously thought better of it. He turned on his heel and stalked off down the hall.

"We don't have any cliffs," Sheppard told Jack with a faint smile on his face. That had been a thing of beauty, and Sheppard had seen many an ass chewing in his day.

"I can improvise," O'Neill told him, shrugging, as his anger started to fade. "You were telling me what you thought of Weir…"

John shrugged.

"She's doing a good job under an incredible situation…"

"And you have no problem with her decisions?"

"I didn't say that," Sheppard said. "But she's doing good, sir, and her priorities are right. She never makes the same mistake twice as far as I have seen, and she's really had some tough calls to make…"

Jack nodded. That was good enough for him, and it matched the conclusion he, himself, had come to.

"I want to go to the infirmary and check on Colonel Mitchell, and then I want to have a meeting with Weir and several others."

"Colonel Mitchell isn't in the infirmary," Sheppard said, smiling as he noticed something O'Neill hadn't.

Jack followed his gaze, turning to look behind him, and saw Melony standing in the hallway, leaning against the open door to her own quarters, her hair tousled and dressed in a pair of sweats and a Green Bay Packers sweatshirt, obviously just woken up.

"Why am I not surprised to be woken up by you yelling at a scientist, Jack?" She asked him, her pale eyes amused.


	26. 26

_Author's note: Wow… I slept almost all day, and I still feel like crap… I think I'm going to go back to bed._

OOOOOOO

"_He_ started it."

Mitchell smiled, not at all annoyed at being pulled out of a sound sleep by Talon, who had woken her so she could listen in on what was being said in the hall. It had been a while since Melony had heard Jack chew someone out like that, and she had to admit he hadn't lost his touch.

"Uh huh."

"He _did_. He was waiting for me at my door," Jack said, scowling and looking back the way Kavanaugh had gone, as if to call him back so he could chew him out again.

"Have you had coffee?"

"No."

"Why don't we go get some?"

"Are you _supposed_ to be out of bed?"

Melony smiled again. Some things never changed.

"Yes. Do you want some coffee or not? I'm starving and want something to eat."

It was a given that _she_ wanted a cup of coffee, too.

"Yes."

"Major?"

Sheppard nodded.

"I'll come along."

If for no other reason than in hopes that O'Neill met up with Kavanaugh again in the commissary.

"Let me get dressed really quick."

She ducked into her quarters, and Jack turned to Sheppard. Normally, O'Neill wasn't one to let someone outside his circle of comfort see him acting quite so childish, but there were always times to make exceptions, and it'd been so long since he'd seen Melony looking healthy and cheerful that he just hadn't been able to help himself – even _with_ Sheppard standing there watching.

"I don't know that we need to share with Doctor Weir just how little Doctor whatshisname thinks of her command ability, Major…"

Sheppard shook his head.

"No, Sir. I had no intention of telling her – although she probably has a fair idea of it already."

"Kavanaugh has been giving her a lot of trouble?" Jack asked, frowning.

Sheppard shrugged.

"He's questioned her a few times."

Of course, John had as well, but it was different when he did it, right?

"Should I send him back to Earth the next time we open the gate? Is he more trouble than he's worth?"

"He's a smart guy, Sir," Sheppard said. "We can use him here. Weir can control him."

Of course, even if _Weir_ couldn't, it was obvious that O'Neill could – from the looks of things.

Jack nodded.

"Fine. But he'd better stay away from me, otherwise-"

He was interrupted when Mitchell reappeared, wearing a uniform similar to Jack's, although without her sidearm. She had yet to find anything in Atlantis that could threaten her – although when she'd first arrived she'd worn a gun and zat both at all times.

"That's better," Jack told her, smiling.

"You're just not a Packer's fan…"

Well, yeah, there was that…

"Come on, smart ass. You can tell me what you've been up to since you got here."

He slid his arm around her waist – to steady her, not because he'd missed her and wanted to hold her – and let her and Sheppard take him to the commissary.

"You wouldn't believe most of it," she told him, smiling.

_And you're not going to tell him_ all _of it, are you?_ Talon asked her, flashing a more mischievous memory of her and Carson through her mind just then.

Mitchell actually stumbled – more from amusement than anything else, although Jack didn't know the difference. His arm tightened around her, and his expression clouded.

"Are you _sure_ you're supposed to be out of bed?"

She grinned, sending Talon a mental raspberry, and nodded.

"I'm really fine, Jack… must have tripped over… a bug or something…"

"Uh huh…"

Not at all surprisingly, he wasn't convinced, and Melony was quick to change the subject back to what they'd been discussing.

"My trip here wasn't so bad," she told him, squeezing his side with her hand to get his attention off her stumble. "But the reception wasn't something I'd ever care to repeat…"

"Oh?"

"Turns out the Ancients weren't all that fond of the idea of Goa'uld – or Tok'ra or Jaffa, presumably – coming into Atlantis."

"What do you mean?"

"She was attacked by a beam the minute she materialized through the gate," Sheppard said. He'd been there and had seen it, and really had a better memory of it than Melony had, since she'd been a little distracted at the time.

"Not me, so much as Talon was," Melony corrected. "It was bad, though."

"You disabled it?"

Obviously they must have, Jack realized, because Melony was wandering around just fine, and Teal'c hadn't been attacked when they'd emerged.

"I had to shoot it," Sheppard said. "We couldn't figure out how to turn it off, and even though Colonel Mitchell was down, the thing was still attacking her. Doctor Beckett said that any longer and it would have killed her."

Jack nodded, looking at Melony again, as if to make certain she was alright – although it was obvious she'd long since recovered from that.

"Talon's okay?"

"Of course."

_It was nice of him to ask_

He likes you.

Sheppard grinned, a little impishly.

"See? I sort of saved her life."

Jack looked over at the Major, and his hand tightened lightly on Melony's side, giving her warning that he was going to say something smart alecked, even though he probably didn't realize he'd done it.

"Is that why she puts up with that hair cut of yours?"

Melony grinned.


	27. 27

The rest of the way to the commissary Melony told Jack about recovering from the initial attack of the anti-Goa'uld device, and how she'd been introduced to the others once she'd asked for Sumner. She grew quiet for a moment, though, as both of them thought of their dead friend.

"Major Sheppard told you about Sumner?"

Jack nodded, his hand tightening on her waist, although Melony wasn't sure if it was to give her support or to take comfort from her being there.

"Yeah… he told me. It sounds like something he'd do, doesn't it?"

Melony nodded as well, and the rest of the walk was in silence.

When they reached the commissary, however, they found Daniel, Sam and Teal'c all sitting at a table, accompanied by Rodney and Elizabeth, all of who were nursing coffee and eating breakfast, while in the middle of a conversation that stopped as soon as the other three joined them.

Sam smiled up at Melony, as did Teal'c, both standing up and greeting her – Teal'c's smile positively beaming considering who it was, and Sam's quick hug warm and cheerful; obviously just as relieved as the others to see Mitchell looking so good compared to how she'd looked when she'd last been seen going through the Stargate.

"How are you feeling?" Daniel asked her as she sat down beside him, Teal'c moving over so he could flank her on the other side, while Jack and John sat down on either side of Sam, Rodney being moved to the side as Jack took his place with a look that warned him not to argue about it.

"Much better," she told him, glancing around the group to see who was missing that she might need to talk to. Seeing that really, these were the major players, Melony stole Daniel's coffee cup, taking an appreciative sip – it was the Talonopolis blend – and looked over at Jack.

"I'm going to go back to the lava base today. Want to come?"

Duh.

He nodded.

"I want to hear about the rest of what you've be doing here," he told her, taking Daniel's coffee cup from her and taking a sip as well. He frowned at the slightly odd flavor, but after a moment took another sip. It was pretty good.

Daniel frowned, watching as Jack finished his coffee, but turned to Melony.

"I want to come, too."

Of course he did. The Wraith were a deadly menace, but they were also a completely new species and there was no way Daniel would ever pass up a chance to find out more about them.

"I assume you'll want Colonel Carter and myself to go as well?" Rodney asked, a little pompously, as if he knew the answer already. Obviously, he'd been thinking ahead as well. "Since the problem of being able to get back to Earth has been solved, that frees me up to help you study the Wraith technology."

Melony shook her head, surprising all of them – except Jack.

"No. The last thing I want is the two of you anywhere near those darts right now."

"What? Why not?"

Even Sam looked a bit surprised by that statement.

"I'm not positive they don't have a remote self-destruct command on those darts," Melony told them. "And you two are probably the most important people here when it comes to figuring out their technology. I'd rather not have you both at risk until I know for sure."

Looking both pleased at the compliment and annoyed that he was being excluded, Rodney frowned.

"How are we supposed to help you figure out the technology without being able to get near the ships?"

"Talon and I'll look them over first – using the Goa'uld shielding devices augmented by the Ancient's ones. If we don't get blown to hell, then we'll disconnect the self destruct button that we're pretty sure is in the darts – assuming that it'd be the one that was triggered remotely once the Wraith figure out their patrol isn't coming back – then you can have at them."

Sam frowned as well.

"What do we do until then?"

"There's a pile of other stuff to look at," Mitchell told them. "I stripped a lot of gear off the Wraith I stole the darts from." She looked over at Jack. "Luckily, I brought them back on the first trip – otherwise I'd have to go find more."

"I _said_ I was sorry," Jack told her.

"No, you didn't."

"I didn't?"

"Nope. As I recalled, you blamed Major Sheppard."

John looked over, and Jack gave him an apologetic look.

"I didn't really _blame_ you… so much as tell her… it was your fault we were shooting at her…"

Sam smiled, as did Weir. Obviously Melony wasn't all that upset about the whole thing.

"What else do we need?" Weir asked. "Kale and the others should be back today with the power sources that they've found – providing their council gives them leave to return and help."

"Which they should," Sheppard said. "They've been up to their necks in helping so far, after all."

"True."

"Power sources?" Melony repeated, looking for more coffee to steal from someone.

"They're like miniature ZedPMs," Rodney told her. "Nowhere near as powerful as a ZedPM, but definitely something that might be useful."

"_How_ miniature?"

He shrugged.

"I haven't really had a chance to get a good look at the one I have. What with everything else that's been happening, but they're more powerful than our own generators at least – probably a lot more powerful."

"How many did they have?"

"Kale didn't know," Elizabeth said. "They found them in the ancient city, but they didn't say how many they found."

Melony nodded, smiling gratefully at Teal'c, who had brought her a cup of coffee and placed it in front of her without a word.

"Then if you don't need McKay or Colonel Carter on another project, I'd like them to check out the power source that Kale brought, Doctor Weir," she said, looking at the two scientists. Both nodded, even as Elizabeth did as well.

"That's fine."

Plus it would keep them both off Talonopolis until Mitchell was certain the darts weren't going to blow up.

"I'll come with you," Sheppard offered, smiling a good morning to Teyla who had just entered the room and walked over to sit down next to Teal'c. "Want to come?"

The Athosian didn't know where they were going, but she knew she didn't want to be left behind, so she nodded.

"Yes."

"After breakfast, then," Mitchell said. There was no way she was going to get blown up on an empty stomach, after all.


	28. 28

Breakfast was a fairly quiet affair. They didn't discuss plans, and they didn't really go into detail about anything that had happened, deciding by unspoken agreement that it would be a time for them to spend a little time together to renew their friendships and take it easy. Melony did ask about her car – and Jack told her that it was great – and she asked about mutual friends who were with the SGC, and Jack was grateful to be able to honestly tell her that everyone was doing well.

When Carson came in and joined them about halfway through the meal, he hesitated, really wanting to sit beside Mitchell, but unwilling to make a fuss. Instead, he sat down beside Sheppard, across from Melony, who gave him a warm, welcoming smile that made Sam give her a look she didn't notice, and made Daniel smile. _He_ was in on the secret – and he was pretty sure that Jack wasn't, because O'Neill didn't even look up from his breakfast.

"What are you doing today?" Carson asked the group in general – although most of them knew he was asking Melony.

"Some of us are heading back to Talonopolis."

He looked at Rodney, who scowled.

"No. _I'm_ staying here for now. Colonel Carter and I are going to work on the Light One's power sources."

He didn't sound as if he was certain if it was good or bad that he was staying – and truth be told, he _wasn't_ sure. He liked the lava base, and felt a little possessive of it – since he'd helped bring it up and running he had a right to, after all – but he also was staying and getting to spend the day with Carter, who was pretty much the perfect match for him as far as he was concerned. And he'd have the day to maybe get her to realize it as well.

"Melony?"

Mitchell nodded.

"Yeah. I'm going to check out the darts I stole."

She purposely avoided mentioning setting off the self-destructs on the Wraith ships, but it was obvious she wasn't the only one thinking of it.

"It might not be a bad idea to bring Doctor Beckett or one of his staff with us," Jack said, looking over at her from his spot beside Sam. "In case you trigger an explosion…"

He wasn't quite as worried about her hurting herself as he might have been. The fact that she was up and around the day after he'd pretty much shot her out of the sky in a fireball of wreckage showed him that the shielding devices she was using were good for something. He would still like to have medical staff handy, though.

"An explosion?"

Mitchell shrugged, tossing Jack a scowl that he returned with an innocent look.

"Just in case the darts have self destruct mechanisms. Chances are, if they do have some kind of remote auto destruct, they're already blown up, though. The Wraith have to be missing their dead patrol by now…"

Carson couldn't help but feel a stab of concern – although like Jack, he was pleased by the fact that she was already up and about after being shot down the day before. He hadn't seen the explosion she'd survived, however, so he wasn't as certain as Jack was about what the shielding devices would do.

"I'll come with ye."

Melony nodded, not at all surprised.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Sheppard piloted the Jumper through the Stargate with Jack sitting in the copilot's seat, watching and learning the controls. Already possessing the Ancient's gene, Jack would have no trouble making the Jumper and other technology work for him, so it was definitely a good idea for him to learn how to fly it. Besides, he hated having anything around that he couldn't fly.

Mitchell and the others sat in the jump seats in the cargo area, Melony sitting beside Carson and checking a few diagnostic tools she'd brought with her, while Daniel chatted with Teyla – obviously continuing a conversation they'd already started while the Athosian had been giving him his tour of Atlantis. Teyla broke off, however, and turned to Teal'c, who was sitting beside Melony.

"I was wondering, Mr. Teal'c…"

"Just Teal'c will suffice," the Jaffa told her with a slight smile.

Teyla nodded.

"Forgive me for being forward, but you carry another life form within you, don't you?" She asked. "The same way Colonel Mitchell carries Talon…?"

It was apparent from the way she spoke of it that Teyla wasn't completely sure of just how great a thing it was to share a body with another, but she could definitely see the advantages of it as well. Mitchell healed a lot faster than anyone she'd ever seen.

"The symbiote I carry is a Goa'uld larvae," Teal'c told her.

"It heals you, though?"

"Indeed. However, it does not communicate with me in a similar fashion to the way Talon speaks with Colonel Mitchell."

"It increases your life force, though…"

"Yes. Because of the symbiote I have already lived longer than a human's lifespan."

"I must warn you," Teyla said, softly. "The Wraith sense the life forms of those around them, and yours – like Colonel Mitchell's – shines much brighter than the others. You will be an obvious target should you encounter any of them."

Something Melony and Talon already knew, but both had overlooked.

_Which explains why that patrol found us while we were hiding_, Talon said, chagrined.

Probably. Or I stunk so bad from three days in the swamp that they simply smelled me.

"Your warning is duly noted," Teal'c told her, inclining his head in a small bow. "Thank you."

Teyla nodded.

"You are welcome."

The two of them were still looking at each other when the Jumper landed in the ravine a few minutes later.

OOOOOOOO

"How much of the lab did you get a chance to see before you decided to shoot me out of the sky?" Melony asked as they all disembarked and she settled her P90 more comfortably in her hand.

Jack scowled.

"We'd just landed."

Carson followed Jack's gaze over to the wreckage of the dart that Melony had crashed, and then looked at the other two as well.

"They're still there."

Melony nodded, relieved. Maybe the Wraith couldn't blow their ships up from a distance after all.

"Let me show you around, Jack, and then I'll get started on the ships."

The others all joined them, and Melony and O'Neill walked into the lava tube side by side, Jack shining his flashlight up at the ceiling, noticeably impressed by the size of the tunnel itself.

"How are you going to bring the darts in here?" He asked her. "I assume there aren't ay sharp corners?"

"Nope. I'm going to fly them in – I hope."

"Fly them, huh?"

She smiled.

"They're the most maneuverable ships you'll ever see, Jack. Better than anything I've ever flown before – and that's saying something."

"Really?"

That _was_ saying something.

"It's too bad Fugly won't fit through the gate, though, because I'd love-"

"What the _hell_ is that?"

As they'd rounded the only bend in the tunnel – a very gradual one – Jack had taken the lead as Melony had turned to check on Carson and the others. A large looming creature was suddenly blocking the way, its eyes reflecting the light of Jack's flashlight and a sudden startled grunting noise making it clear it was alive whatever it was.

Mitchell reached out, quickly, stopping Jack from bringing his P90 to bear.

"Easy, Jack. It's just a Mok."


	29. 29

_Author's Note: You know… as I write this and look forward to what still has to happen in this story, I've realized this one is going to be incredibly long! Hope you guys enjoy the ride._

OOOOOOOO

"A _Mok_?"

Melony smiled, now that she knew that Jack wasn't going to shoot the creature, and she stepped forward, her hand coming up to touch the furry neck – right under the right handed balloon-looking thing.

_You can call it a sperm sack, you know…_

I _could_, but it's a little more comfortable for me to have my hand so close to it if I don't.

_As long as you don't touch it…_

Before she could reply to Talon, Daniel stepped past Jack looking intently at the creature, which looked rather dangerous in the dim light given from the flashlights – the strand of lights that had been hung by McKay's team to illuminate the tunnel being off just then until Melony activated them.

"It's not dangerous?" The archeologist asked. Just because Melony was touching it didn't prove anything, after all.

Melony shook her head as the Mok rumbled in pleasure at the caress.

"Nope. They're pretty docile."

"You must be mistaken, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said, stepping forward as well and examining the shaggy dark creature with interest. "The Mok are extinct."

_See? I told you_

Ignoring him, Melony turned to Teal'c.

"There are several on this planet, Teal'c. Probably-"

"What's this thing do?" Daniel asked, sliding his hand along the water – _the sperm sack_ – curiously. The Mok rumbled again, a deeper sound, now, and turned its head to look at Daniel.

Mitchell snickered, and reached out to move Daniel's hand.

"Don't touch him there…"

"_Him_?" Daniel asked, looking at the creature again. It was roughly the size of a small elephant, but _he_ didn't see any indication that it was male – unless the coloring or something told her that it was.

"Trust me."

"Is it _purring_?" Jack asked, intrigued by the creature despite himself. He wasn't usually one to get all excited when they found something new, but even though it was huge, there was definitely something endearing about it. It kind of looked like a big fuzzy black cow.

"The Mok were greatly prized for their pelts, O'Neill," Teal'c said, coming over with Teyla and reaching his hand out fearlessly towards the creature. The Mok stretched its nose towards him, the purring noise rumbling deep in its chest at having so much attention.

Teal'c looked as fascinated with the creature as Talon had, and Melony decided it was for the same reason. He'd thought they were extinct and had never seen one.

"Not for food?" Jack asked.

The Jaffa shrugged.

"I have never heard of them being eaten…"

Sheppard knew what the sperm sacks were, and couldn't help but grin at the change in the rumbling noise the Mok made when Daniel started caressing it. But since Colonel Mitchell didn't tell Jackson what it was, he decided she didn't feel it was necessary to explain – and really, John agreed. They had enough to do without worrying about the Mok.

"What do you suppose it's doing here?"

Mitchell shrugged.

"Maybe it came looking for us…"

"How do you suppose it got past the river?"

"_River_?" Jack asked.

Mitchell shrugged.

"Maybe it came in the other direction… or maybe it came in from this tunnel… we can always go look."

What she was hoping, though, was that there wasn't a flock of the little buggers in her secret lab, crapping on the floor and knocking delicate equipment over.

"Let's go, then," Jack said, ducking past the hulking creature and heading down the tunnel, followed by the others. Everyone who passed it, though, had to stop long enough to touch it, much to its enjoyment. Daniel was the last to go and the creature turned and followed him, its odd rumbling purr reverberating through the hall as it lumbered behind them.

OOOOOOOOO

"Wow…"

Whatever the Mok had been doing, Mitchell was relieved to see, it hadn't been leaving piles of dung in the middle of her floor. The lab looked just like she'd last left it – and as she past the entrance and hit the switch turning on all the lights, Jack came to a stop to take a look around.

The place really did look like a lab, he decided. He'd been expecting something more like an underground bunker or something, with a single light bulb hanging from the ceiling and a couple of laptops on crates. What he found was something that he could actually see Sam Carter working in. A real lab with tables and all sorts of machines, and plenty of light now that they'd been turned on. A huge area – with more than enough room for all of them, two Wraith darts and the Mok that had followed Daniel through the entrance.

"This place is amazing…" Daniel said, looking around.

Melony smiled proudly, but didn't stop. She headed for the other entrance – the one that led to the tunnel they'd discovered the Mok down – anxious to see if the tunnel was filled with other Mok.

"Take a look around – but don't touch anything," she told them, looking directly at Jack when she said it. "I'm going to go see what's going on down the tunnel."

She was followed almost immediately by Daniel – who couldn't resist the chance to see yet more new stuff – and Jack, who wouldn't allow her to go anywhere without him ever again now that he was finally back with her.

Teal'c turned to Teyla.

"Perhaps you could show me around?"

She smiled, but shook her head.

"This is the first time I have been here as well," she admitted. "Major Sheppard?"

"Sure," John said, watching as the Mok followed Daniel down the tunnel. "I'll show you guys around. Let's go."

OOOOOOOO

"Alone at last…"

Sam rolled her eyes, and looked up from the power source Rodney McKay had just set on the table in front of her. She'd pretty much been expecting some kind of comment like that.

"I'd hardly qualify this as alone…"

In fact, they had several other scientists in the room with them – most of them working on other projects, but all of them available should either of them call for help.

"Well, it's a start," Rodney told her. "Tell me how you've been…"

"Tell me about the Light Ones," Sam countered. "What kind of people are they? Why don't they use these power sources for themselves…?"

Frowning – not that he didn't want to talk about the Light Ones, he just wanted to talk about her (them?) more – McKay started telling her about their initial meeting with kale and his people. Leaving out most of the little details.


	30. 30

_Author's Note: Remember this is an AU, so Teal'c has his symbiote, still. If it weren't an AU, I couldn't have Mitchell, right?_

OOOOOOO

"Well… he didn't go through _here_…"

They had walked down the lava tube until they'd reached the underground river, the Mok following them the entire way – even over the wooden bridge, which groaned under his considerable weight. Daniel kept getting gentle nudges in the small of his back as the creature tried to get his attention every now and then, once even causing him to stumble, but he was so enamored of the creature that he didn't even complain.

"What does it want?"

"It's in love," Jack said, grinning over at Melony.

_Oh, if only he knew the truth…_

I'm not telling him, Melony told her symbiote, firmly, ignoring Talon's mirth. And neither are _you_.

_Awwww_

She smiled, and reached out running her hand through the shaggy fur of the Mok's shoulder. The three of them were standing at the edge of the underground river, and it was just as full as it had been when she'd last seen it – eliminating the theory that it was rainwater run-off since it hadn't rained on Talonopolis for a few days at least.

"You didn't say anything about swimming," Jack told her.

She shook her head.

"I have no intention of going for a swim." Especially since there was no way she'd risk Carson trying to swim that. "I just wanted to see if the water was down or something."

"Why?"

"Because on the other end of this tunnel is a small herd of Mok, and I can't think of any other place he could have come from. You guys didn't see him when you were here last?"

"We didn't go in the tunnels," Daniel said apologetically.

She shrugged.

"It's possible that it could have swum, isn't it?" Jack asked as the Mok nudged him, looking for attention. Jack pushed its head away from his stomach before it could push him accidentally into the water, and the Mok gave him a disappointed rumble as it turned back to Daniel.

"Maybe…"

"There _are_ other entrances, though, right?" Daniel asked. "I mean… you mentioned finding coffee plants outside one of the tunnels – unless it was this one?"

Trust Daniel to remember the coffee beans.

Melony nodded.

"The other exit leads out onto a mountain side. We didn't see any Mok there – but I suppose it's the only place he could have come from."

"Mystery solved," Jack said, pushing the Mok's head away once more. "Let's go take a look at those ships."

While she wasn't positive the mystery actually was solved, she nodded. Talon was eager to take a look at the darts and see what they could find out, and Melony wasn't willing to listen to him whine if she could avoid it.

"What do we do with _him_?" Daniel asked, pushing the Mok lightly, although he couldn't help but run his hand along its furry neck. The attraction to the fur was incredible, and made it easy to understand why the creatures had been so sought after for that fur.

"I don't know how to make him go away," Melony admitted. "Maybe he'll get bored and wander off."

_Not if everyone keeps fondling him_

"Let's go, then."

They turned as a group, and headed back up the lava tube.

OOOOOOOO

"You have done much with this place," Teal'c said as they finished the tour – as it were. Even though he wasn't a scientist, Teal'c couldn't help but be impressed with what they had accomplished. Even though they had the technology of the Ancients to help them, they were also hampered by the lack of supplies to work with – and they'd still managed to build quite a research laboratory.

"Doctor McKay and Colonel Mitchell are the two who did most of the work," Teyla said, smiling.

"But there were a lot of others who came to help," Sheppard added, feeling a little like a third wheel during the tour. Teyla had been questioning Teal'c almost nonstop since they'd begun the tour, and even though the questions were hardly personal, the two of them somehow seemed to be off in their own little world – which was a little annoying.

"Yes," Teyla agreed. "Although I was not one of them – I was with my people on the mainland at the time."

"Teyla is one of the leaders of her people," Sheppard said, knowing that Teyla would never have told Teal'c that herself, and smiling slightly when he saw the Athosian blush.

Teal'c gave a slight nod, his dark eyes on the young woman.

"Perhaps while we wait for Colonel Mitchell and the others to return, you can tell me something of your people," he asked. "Do they all have the ability to sense the extra life force my symbiote gives me?"

Teyla nodded, and started to tell him of her people, and neither noticed when Sheppard headed down the tunnel Melony had vanished down with the Mok and the others.

OOOOOOOOO

"You're _kidding_."

McKay smiled; pleased to see the awed and unbelieving look on Samantha Carter's pretty face.

"Not in the least."

"They're able to change forms at will?"

McKay nodded.

"I've seen it myself, Colonel Carter. It's amazing."

"And they can fly in their bird form?"

"Not only fly… they can carry people – and _have_."

"You're serious?"

He nodded.

"When Kale and the others return I'll be happy to ask one of them to demonstrate, if you'd like?"

Duh. Who _wouldn't_?

"Yes, please."

This was something she definitely had to see to believe.


	31. 31

"Rodney," Weir's voice interrupted McKay and Sam about an our after Rodney had finished telling her about the special abilities of the Light Ones and they'd started running tests on the power source device that Kale had brought them. He reached over and hit the intercom button so Carter could hear whatever it was as well.

"Yes, Elizabeth?"

"Kale's returning."

It was all she needed to say, since the Light One was supposed to be bringing more of the mini ZPMs.

"We'll be right there."

He looked at Sam, who unhooked a diagnostic tool from the device they'd been studying – unwilling to leave it hooked up and risk a possible overload.

"Shall we go see if they managed to find us any more, Colonel?"

She nodded, and they headed for the control room.

OOOOOOOO

"Did you find anything interesting?" Sheppard asked, coming up on the small group as they were heading back. He noticed immediately that they still had the Mok with them – which meant the river was probably still there.

"Just a lot of water blocking the way," Mitchell told him, confirming his guess. "Nothing new."

"And yet… you're _dry_."

She smiled.

"We didn't feel like swimming this early."

"Forgot my trunks," Jack said, pushing the Mok's head away from him – again.

"It didn't stop us last time…" Sheppard said.

Melony smiled.

"Last time I wanted to see what was on the other side. I already know, now. Anything new on your end?"

"Everything's exactly where you left it, and Teyla is telling Teal'c about the Athosians."

"Then I'm ready to start looking at the darts."

"Me, too."

She frowned at that, and turned to Jack – who held his hand up to stop her from arguing.

"They didn't blow up yet, and _you_ said that you flew them without any problems."

"There was the small problem of having one shot out from around me."

"That doesn't count. If you can fly it, I can fly one, and I want to see what they're like."

"When we're done checking them out."

"Give me one of those shielding devices and I'll help. I have the Ancient gene, after all, so I can use it."

"I'm using the Ancient's device _and_ the Goa'uld shielding device, Jack," Melony told him. "It's the only way I survived that crash, you know… let me make sure that the two I have left aren't going to blow sky high, and then I'll teach you and Major Sheppard both how to fly them – maybe we'll even go steal a couple more."

"What do you want me to do?" Daniel asked.

She smiled.

"Funny you should ask, Daniel. The entire ship is filled with some kind of writing. I'll see if there's some way I can transfer some of it onto a laptop or something, and you can try to learn the Wraith's language."

Oh.

"Well… that'll be… _fun_…."

Of course, even though it sounded impossible, it was exactly what Daniel did best – besides digging and getting lost. Add to it the chance to maybe find out something about another race – another species entirely – and he was more than willing to try.

Mitchell smiled, knowing that he wasn't quite as daunted by the prospect as he was acting like he was, and as a group they turned and headed back for the main cavern.

OOOOOOO

Kale and Char were the only two Light Ones that came through the gate, and both were carrying large burlap-type bags slung over their shoulders. Both of these were filled, and Sam assumed they were filled with the mini ZPMs because the outline of one was fairly clear.

Weir stepped forward as the gate disengaged, smiling a welcome.

"Welcome back."

Kale smiled as well, his gaze first only for Weir, and then spreading to the others in the room as well.

"Thank you. The Council was very pleased to hear that you have received word from your home, and even more pleased that help for Colonel Mitchell has arrived. Char and I have been given permission to assist you in your endeavor in any manner that seems fit – and we can call for more help as the need arises."

"Kallen didn't come?" Rodney asked, a little disappointed.

Kale smiled.

"She is in the Ancient city, supervising the search for more of the devices – or anything else that might look promising. Undoubtedly, she will return – or be in touch."

"Good."

"We have brought twelve of the devices," Char said, unslinging the bag and setting it carefully on the floor. Kale followed his example and Rodney knelt to look in the bag, with Sam looking over his shoulder.

"We'll have to check and see if these are powered," Rodney said, pulling one out. "Some of them might be duds."

"Duds?" Char asked.

Sam smiled.

"They might not have any energy left in them. Drained, or possibly already used by whoever stored them."

"Oh."

"This one looks good," Rodney said, standing back up still holding the mini ZPM. He motioned for a couple of the security force who had been guarding the gate to come forward and asked them to take them back to the lab. "I was just telling Colonel Carter here of your ability to change shape."

Char smiled, looking at Sam, who found herself suddenly blushing for absolutely no reason.

"It sounds like an extraordinary ability," she said, trying to mask the confusion she suddenly felt. What the heck had _that_ been?

"Would you like a demonstration?" Kale asked, politely. He was used to the humans being amazed at what he and his people found to be very common.

"I-"

"I think we should wait," Elizabeth said, breaking in. "When the rest of the party returns, you can give them all a demonstration at once. That way you don't need to do it too many times. Besides, now that we have these things, I'm sure Rodney wants to get started on examining them…"

McKay frowned, but shrugged.

"Sure."

Sam nodded as well.

"I'll take a rain check," she told the Light Ones, still blushing slightly and hoping no one could tell. "I'd like to take a look at the ZPM things, also."

"Whenever you wish," Kale said, giving her a slight bow and a smile. "We are at your disposal."

"Thank you."

Sam turned and followed the Marines out of the room, and a moment later Rodney followed her as well. They had work to do, after all.


	32. 32

_Wow_…

You know, you've been saying that an awful lot lately.

Talon gave the equivalent of a mental shrug.

_We've seen a lot of new things lately, Hot Shot. Do you disagree that most of them are interesting?_

Melony smiled and shook her head, amused by his defensive attitude. More often than not he was the one putting her on the defensive, not the other way around, and it was fun to turn the tables.

No, we've definitely seen some wow worthy stuff, you're right.

Take what they were doing just then for instance. Mitchell was on her back on the floor of the first dart she'd stolen, with her head under the console, a flashlight in her mouth – which made it a good thing she didn't need to speak aloud to converse with Talon – and her hands busy checking all sorts of odd connections that truth be told, she and her symbiote were neither one sure of.

_We haven't blown up, yet, though_

That's a good thing.

"Hey, what have you found?"

She flinched, startled to hear Jack's impatient voice after a good hour of silence broken only by her silent conversations with Talon.

Spitting the flashlight out before she swallowed it accidentally, Mitchell twisted around to see Jack standing at the rear hatch of the little craft, blocking the light coming from the outside. Not that she needed it, since the interior of the ship lit up fairly well on its own.

"Are you _trying_ to give me a heart attack?" She asked him.

He gave her an apologetic smile, and came into the ship, followed immediately by Daniel, who was looking around with amazement.

"You haven't blown up yet, so chances are you're not going to, right?"

_He's probably right_, Talon agreed.

"Yeah, probably not. Come on in and check it out. But if you get blown into little bits, don't come running to me."

Jack snorted, and walked over, running his hand along the pilot's chair.

"Looks fairly similar to most other craft," he noted.

"Yeah, and the controls are the same, too," she said, agreeing. "But it's responsive like nothing I've ever seen."

Which was saying something, since Jack knew Melony had flown pretty much everything Earth had to offer.

"That good huh?"

"Oh, yeah."

"This language looks somewhat familiar," Daniel said, more to himself than to them. He'd been looking around the interior of the ship with great interest, and had realized almost immediately that he could almost understand the pattern of the odd characters that seemed to be everywhere.

"What?"

Daniel looked at Jack, and shrugged.

"I'd have to actually study it," he said. "But it looks similar to Ancient. Not _exact_, of course, but similar."

"_Ancient_?" Melony asked, dubiously, looking at the symbols as well. Of course, she didn't speak Ancient any better than she spoke Swahili, so she wouldn't know, but she did know that Daniel spoke Ancient better than anyone on the planet. Well, on Earth, that was. "Are you sure?"

"No."

He'd only seen the language a minute ago, after all.

"But it might be?"

Daniel nodded, walking over and looking over Jack's shoulder at the main control panel. Those looked similar, as well.

"It _looks_ like it is."

Mitchell stuck her head back under the console, raising her flashlight once more and reaching up to pull out the small device that every wire on the ship seemed to be running toward. The ship didn't blow up like she'd half expected it to, and the apparatus came away smoothly, dropping into her hand. It was about the size of a thick slice of bread, and she twisted around again, setting the flashlight down and getting to her feet.

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"It looks some kind of CPU or something," Melony said, ignoring the fact that Jack had his hand out to take it and handing it over to Daniel instead. Jack would just drop it, or break it, and Melony knew him well enough to know that. "If it's a language that you can understand, we might actually have a chance to learn a little bit about the bastards."

Daniel looked at the doohickey in his hand, and nodded.

"Doctor Weir and Doctor McKay would be helpful…" he said. "And Sam, of course, since she knows more about technology than I do."

Melony nodded.

"Let's get off the ship for a minute, and see if it blows up or anything if we try to take it away from the parent couplings."

Daniel gave her a hesitant look and Mitchell smiled.

"It probably won't."

"_Probably_," Jack said, smiling as well, because there were very few chances to screw with Daniel recently and he hated to let one slip by. "But just in case, _you_ can go first."

"Thanks."

Daniel led the way off the dart, and Melony and Jack followed him. As soon as they emerged, Teal'c came over, accompanied by Sheppard, Carsonand Teyla.

"What did you find?" John asked.

Melony shrugged.

"Daniel thinks that the language in the dart might be similar to Ancient, so we're going to need help trying to translate it."

"What is that?" Teyla asked, gesturing to the device in Daniel's hand.

"It's some kind of processor," Daniel said, looking down at his hand. "We _think_."

"I just took it off the main console of the dart," Mitchell explained. "The question is… do we take it back to Atlantis? Or bring Weir and the others here to help scrutinize it? I don't like the thought of pulling everyone from the city in case something happens…"

"But we don't want to run the risk of that thing having a tracking device in it, either," Jack pointed out.

"Exactly."

"Why not bring Sam over and see if she can figure out how to take the data off this thing and put it on a disk or something so we can take it back to Atlantis?" Daniel asked.

"Good idea."

Jack looked around.

"Okay. I'll go get Carter – and maybe McKay. Teal'c, you stick around here and guard Melony while she continues looking through the ships."

He looked at Sheppard.

"I'll go back with you, Colonel. I need to check on the security forces."

"I shall remain here and help guard Colonel Mitchell," Teyla said. Since she wasn't under O'Neill's command, it wasn't like he could make her leave – although she _had_ placed herself under Sheppard's authority, and Sheppard was obviously lower in rank than O'Neill was.

"Fine." Jack didn't care. The more people guarding Melony the better as far as he was concerned. "Daniel?"

"I'll stick around."

Big surprise there. Daniel wanted to check out the Wraith language and Jack knew it.

"Don't wander off."

With that final warning, O'Neill and Sheppard headed for the Jumper, ad Carson turned to Daniel.

"Does he _expect_ you to wander off?"

Daniel frowned.

"He thinks I need constant reminding."

"And you do," Melony added, with a grin, heading back into the dart before Daniel could say anything.

Teal'c gave what was almost a smile, but didn't say anything, and Daniel scowled.

"Maybe. Sometimes."

With the device in his hand, he headed into the lava tube, followed by the Mok and Carson Beckett.


	33. 33

"Welcome back."

When Jack and Sheppard emerged from the back of the Jumper, Weir and Kale were the only two standing there waiting for them. Telling Jack that the Light Ones had returned with their doohickeys and Carter was off with McKay somewhere studying them.

"Thanks."

"Find anything interesting?" Weir asked.

"Apparently Daniel thinks that the language the Wraith speak – or write or whatever it is they do with it – is some kind of Ancient offshoot," Jack said.

"Really?"

O'Neill and Sheppard both shrugged.

"That's what he said."

"He also said he'd need more time to look at it."

"I speak Ancient," Weir reminded the general, eager to help as well.

"I know. We're not going to remove you from the city, though, and we're not going to bring the device here – just in case there's some kind of homing thing on it. The last thing we need is to have the Wraith coming here."

"So what can I do to help?"

"I'm going to see if Colonel Carter will come back to Talonopolis with us and try to remove the information from the device to something more compatible with our own computers," Jack said. "When she does, we'll bring that information here, and you and Daniel can explore it to your hearts content."

Weir nodded, deciding that that was a pretty good plan.

"I'll take you to Colonel Carter, then."

Jack nodded, and looked over at Sheppard.

"Get done what you need to do, and meet me back here as soon as possible."

John nodded.

"Yes, Sir."

He headed off one direction, while Jack, Weir and Kale went the other.

OOOOOOOOO

They found Sam and McKay in 'his' lab, along with the other male Light One that Jack had been introduced to; Char. The two scientists were studying one of the power sources – which was sitting on the table in front of them – while Char was apparently explaining to them where they'd found it and how many others there were.

Jack scowled to see the male seemingly so chummy with Carter – not that she wasn't more than capable of deciding who she hung out with, he just… didn't like her hanging out with people he didn't know. And definitely not when they were aliens. Aliens always seemed to hurt her – and Jack wasn't looking forward to having to kick some Light One ass if Char did something stupid.

She smiled when she saw him walk into the room – which made his scowl fade – and McKay looked over as well.

"Rodney?" Weir said. "General O'Neill's going to steal Colonel Carter from you for a while."

Now it was McKay's turn to frown.

"Where is she going?"

"To the lava base," Jack said, thinking to himself that if McKay kept sounding so possessive of Sam, Char wasn't the only one that was going to get his ass kicked. "We need her."

"Melony found a device that might have some information on it that we can use," Jack told Sam. "But we-"

"Don't want to bring the device here – in case it's booby trapped, or there's a homing signal coming from it…?"

Jack smiled.

"Exactly."

"I'll get some equipment together and meet you wherever you want me to be."

"There's plenty of things already at the lava base, Colonel Carter," Rodney told her. "I stocked it, I know."

Sam nodded, taking his word for it.

"Then I'm ready."

"Good. Let's get back then, before Daniel wanders off and gets lost. Or gets eaten by the Mok."

"The Mok?"

Jack nodded, his brown eyes filled with humor.

"It keeps following him around. Melony says it's a male, but I think it's a female – otherwise it would have lost interest by now."

"A Mok?" Kale asked, curiously.

Jack looked over at him.

"Yeah. This big cow looking thing with a fuzzy black coat and these two water balloons hanging down on either side of its ears."

Weir wasn't the only one to frown in disbelief, and Jack scowled.

"They _look_ like water balloons."

"They're actually sperm sacks," Rodney said, smugly. He knew because Carson had told him – and Melony had told Carson. "Not water balloons. Colonel Mitchell's correct. It's definitely a male."

There was a definite gleam of humor in Jack's eyes as he looked at Rodney.

"You're sure?"

McKay nodded.

Before Jack could say anything else, though, Sam interrupted.

"We'd better get going, then. I'd like to get back and continue what I've started here as soon as possible."

Weir nodded as well, because she was interested in seeing this Wraith language that might be Ancient as well, and Sam, Jack and the Light Ones walked with her back towards the Jumper bay.

"Did you get a chance to look at the dart?" Sam asked Jack, who nodded.

"I did. And when we get back I'm going to have Melony teach me how to fly it."

"Sounds fun."

O'Neill smiled, reaching out and putting his arm around Sam before he could even realize what he'd been planning on doing.

"Once I learn, I'll teach you myself," he promised.

Surprised, she returned his smile, wondering what had come over him.

"I'll hold you to that, Sir."

Jack dropped his arm, but his smile didn't fade. Even though they ended up waiting for Sheppard for several long minutes.


	34. 34

"This place is amazing…"

Daniel looked over at Sam, smiling at the surprise in her voice and the awe in her expression. Of course, he'd been just as impressed the first time he'd seen the inside of the lava base, too – and he still was, for that matter – so he couldn't really tease her too much.

"Would you expect any less from Melony?" he asked her.

Sam shook her head, still amazed to see such a highly technological laboratory in the middle of a lava dome.

"I suppose not… but it's still amazing…"

"Yeah."

She shook her head again, and then switched over to the reason for being there in the first place. "Where's this thing I'm supposed to be looking at?"

"Over here."

Daniel led her over to one of the tables, and pointed to a small device that was sitting there, already taking the premier place of interest in the lab – although that was about to change.

"Watch out!"

Jack's voice came from the tunnel loud and clear and they both turned to see Teal'c walking into the room backwards, looking over his shoulder into the room to double-check that everyone was out of the way – including the Mok that had followed Daniel and Sam down the tunnel as soon as they'd started off that way. Sam had been intrigued by the creature, reaching out and running her hands through its furry coat when Daniel told her to – although she _did_ avoid the sperm sacks as she did so.

The Jaffa's reason for walking backward became clear immediately, when a moment later Sheppard, Jack, Carson and Teyla all came in pushing the dart – which was hovering a few feet off the ground. They were surrounding it, each on a different side, while Teal'c had a rope that was attached to the front of the craft and was pulling it, the Jaffa's powerful arms and legs making it seem effortless – which it probably was to him.

While they watched, the little ship was guided into the large hangar area of the cavern, and positioned so the butt end was facing Daniel and Sam – the best direction to give easy access to the inside of it, Sam decided.

"They must have decided it wasn't going to blow up," Daniel said, leaning against the table he'd been standing by.

Sam nodded her agreement and watched as the back of the craft seemed to dissolve, leaving a gaping hole that a moment later Colonel Mitchell came walking out of, smiling in satisfaction as she regarded the ship and the area it was in.

"Perfect. We'll have room for a few more."

"You only _have_ one more," Carson pointed out.

Jack scowled at the reminder of what happened to the other one, but Melony was over that by now. She grinned at Jack's annoyed look.

"I only have one more right _now_," she corrected. "But I intend to go find at least a couple more."

"Where?" Sheppard asked.

Melony shrugged.

"We'll start with the same place I found this one."

"But first you're going to teach me and Teal'c how to fly the things, so we can help you," Jack said, making sure she was aware that it was more of an order than a request.

"But first I'm going to teach General O'Neill and Teal'c how to fly them," Mitchell repeated, nodding. "And _you_, too, major."

Sheppard didn't mind that at all. As a matter of fact, he was pilot enough and cocky enough to be pretty sure that he could pick it up fairly easily. _Mitchell_ had, after all, and John knew that he was just as good a pilot as she was – even though Talon gave her an edge when it came to reflexes.

"Sounds great." He said.

"Carter, Daniel. You guys stay here and work on that… thing…" Jack said, pointing at the device on the table. "Doctor Beckett, do you know how to shoot a gun?"

"What?" Carson hadn't been expecting the question.

"A gun," Jack repeated. "Can you shoot a gun?"

"Yes."

Sort of.

"Then you stay and be helpful to Daniel and Colonel Carter if they need it." He turned to Teyla, who had been watching. "Teyla?"

Understanding the question, Teyla nodded.

"I will help guard them as well. I am a very good shot."

Not to mention if something came upon them – and she and the rest of them were thinking there was always a chance that the Wraith might still have some way of tracking the darts – then Teyla would actually sense the Wraith coming and be able to give warning.

"We won't be far from a radio at any time," Mitchell said. "But I don't want to risk having someone crash the dart into the top of the cavern and maybe blowing a hole through it, so we're going to head out to the plains."

Daniel and Sam nodded their agreement. Sam wouldn't have minded learning to fly the little ship, either, but she'd take O'Neill at his word and wait for him to teach her when the opportunity presented itself. Right now she had something more important to do and she knew it. Especially since her skills as a pilot weren't needed nearly as much as her scientific abilities were.

"Call us if you need us," Jack told them, already turning to go. They knew the plan. He knew the plan. He trusted them to carry on with their part just as they knew that he would his. That was the best part about having been together as a team for so long, after all.

Sam nodded and turned to the device on the table as the others fell in behind Jack, and Carson walked over to stand near Teyla.

"Does he realize I don't even _have_ a gun?"

"You may use one of mine," The Athosian offered, handing over the sidearm she had been carrying.

OOOOOOOO

"We'll use the Ancient's shielding devices," Melony said to the group as they walked along the lava tube on their way to the ravine the Jumper and the other dart were parked in. "That way you'll have some sort of protection if you manage to crash."

She gave Teal'c an apologetic look.

"They won't work for you, Teal'c…"

"I will not need such a safety net," Teal'c said, confidently.

Mitchell grinned. God, she'd missed Jaffa self-assuredness.


	35. 35

They stopped right outside the tunnels, Melony turning to the others.

"We'll head for the plains just south of here, Major," she told Sheppard, assuming he'd be the one flying the Jumper. John nodded his agreement, but Jack held up his hand.

"Why don't I fly with you, Melony? That way you can show me how the controls work."

There wasn't really another seat in the dart for a passenger, but she nodded. He was right; it was the best way to see how the controls worked – short of having a simulator, which they didn't. Luckily they were all three skilled pilots, so Melony was sure they'd have no more difficulty picking up the darts than she did.

"That'll work. Major? Just follow us."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Teal'c and Sheppard headed for the Jumper and Jack and Melony headed for the dart.

"You're not going to crash us, are you?" Jack asked, hesitating at the rear entrance to the little craft.

"Of course not."

"I mean, because you _do_ have a lousy track record when it comes to landings…" He looked pointedly over at the wreckage of the final dart, and Mitchell gave him a half smile.

"That was your fault and you know it. I would have landed it just fine if you weren't so trigger happy."

"Oh sure… blame it on me…"

She shook her head, and headed into the dart, settling in the pilot's seat as the harness came up and around her, locking her firmly in place.

"Find something to hold on to, Jack," Melony told him. "And never… _ever_… hit this button." She pointed at the one that they were pretty sure was the self-destruct button.

"Why? What does it do?"

"I think it'll blow the ship up," she told him as he took a firm grip on the back of her chair, standing braced against it.

"Then by all means… let's not push that button, eh?"

She smiled, and showed him the startup button and they were both quiet as they listened to the almost silent engines come to life with a vibration that rumbled through the little ship.

"It's supposed to feel like that?" Jack asked.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

With slightly exaggerated movements so he could see what she was doing, Mitchell lifted the dart off the ground, making sure not to do anything too abrupt since Jack wasn't buckled in and she really wasn't sure just how good the inertia dampeners were when you weren't buckled in. Obviously, Jack was thinking the same thing.

"I'd rather not end up splattered against the windshield," he told her.

She smiled, pointing at the 3-d representation.

"There _is_ no windshield."

"Smart ass. Just be careful, okay?"

"I always am, Jack."

Uh huh.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" Carson asked, coming over to stand beside Sam.

She shook her head, looking up in time to see him run his fingers through the Mok's shaggy fur – his shoulder, she noticed. Beckett was staying well clear of the two sperm sacks that were hanging down by the creature's ears.

"I just need a chance to look at this thing. Preferably without having him looming over my shoulder," she said, gesturing to the distracting animal. "Any way you can convince him to go outside and… graze… or whatever it is they do?"

"I'll take him outside, Sam," Daniel said, running his hand along the Mok's neck, and sliding his hand along the velvety hanging sacks. Easily the softest part of the creature's body – as far as he'd seen so far – Daniel almost always found himself enjoying that sensation. "He likes me."

She grinned, looking at Beckett, who wasn't in the right position to see what part of the creature Daniel was touching, and then looking back at her friend.

"If you weren't holding his testicles he might like you a little less…"

"What?"

Carson snorted, moving aside a little. This wasn't a conversation he wanted to join in on. Instead, he moved over to stand by Teyla, who was looking at the rear of the dart ship. Sam couldn't help but echo the snort, her eyes flashing with barely suppressed humor.

"You're touching its sperm sack, Daniel," she explained, grinning broadly.

Daniel jerked his hand away from the Mok, and looked at her.

"What? Are you sure? How do you-"

"McKay told me. It seems that-"

"Eeeeeewwww!"

Daniel wiped his hand on his pants, glaring at the Mok as if it had been all the creature's fault.

"Does Jack know?"

Sam nodded, and Daniel groaned, shaking his head.

"I'm _never_ going to hear the end of this…"

Bad enough he'd been _fondling_ the damned thing, but it was worse that O'Neill knew, because he'd never let Daniel forget – and there'd be all sorts of little comments. He just knew it. Probably the only thing that had stopped him so far was that he'd been so excited about learning how to fly the darts.

She had to agree with him, because she knew Jack as well as he did.

"He's going to have a ball with it," she said, grinning. "That's for sure."

Carson choked, telling them without words that he'd been listening in, and Daniel stared at her for a long moment, realizing that Jack wasn't going to be the only one who was going to have fun at his expense.

"That was bad, Sam…"

She snickered, wiping a tear of mirth from her eye.

"Sorry, Daniel. I couldn't resist…"

"Try harder, next time."

Silently giggling, Sam turned her attention back to the device on the table, leaving Daniel to deal with the Mok for her.


	36. 36

That afternoon was a reaffirmation to Mitchell just how talented those around her were. When she and Jack landed the dart in the field, O'Neill proclaimed himself ready to try the craft himself, and with him in the pilot's seat and Melony holding tight to the back of the chair, Jack proved that he was just as adept at learning to fly the thing as Mitchell had been.

She wasn't surprised. Not really. The little ship was really pilot friendly – if you had the talent for flying – and Jack definitely did. And once they landed, Sheppard and Teal'c proved to her that they, too, had that ability, because Melony didn't have any more trouble teaching either of them than she had Jack.

She pointed out the self destruct button to each of them, as well as the control that brought out the DHD – or whatever it was the Wraith called it – and explained that the rest of the controls would pretty much have to be figured out as they went along – such as the navigation controls and sensors. Since none of them spoke or read Wraith, they'd just have to wing it. Luckily, all of them were used to doing just that.

By the time the sun had reached its zenith and was beginning to go down, Mitchell was satisfied that each of them would be able to pilot a Wraith dart if necessary – and hopefully it _would_ be – and called it a day, saying they'd better get back and see how things were going with the others.

"We haven't heard anything," Jack pointed out as they separated (Melony and Teal'c to the dart, Jack and Sheppard to the Jumper so John could give the general a quick lesson in piloting that craft as well). "So things must be going okay, right?"

"Sure…"

Of course, with Daniel you never knew, right?

Jack gave Mitchell a partial smile.

"We'll see you in a few minutes."

She tossed him a salute – a parade ground perfect salute that was only marred by the fact that she was smiling.

"Yes, sir."

They headed their separate ways, and a moment later both craft were lifting off from the meadow and heading back for the ravine parking lot.

OOOOOOOOO

When they returned to the lava base they found that their concerns – however small – were unfounded. Daniel hadn't wandered off. He'd been too fascinated with the the Wraith dart and the information Sam was supposedly getting from it to go wandering around a bunch of lava tubes. (Of course, had he been a geologist or a vulcanologist rather than an archeologist it might have been another matter entirely)

"How's it going, kids?" Jack asked as they emerged from the tunnel about forty minutes after they took off from the field.

Sam looked up from the laptop she'd been fiddling with.

"We're done, sir."

"Done?"

"Well, I've finished extracting the information from the device and inputting it into the computer," she qualified.

"Already?" Sheppard asked.

Sam nodded.

"It was a lot simpler than I expected it to be. Daniel's right; the Ancient's language and the language on this device – presumably Wraith – are very similar, which made it easy for the computer to accept the new characters, because most of them were already characters it had been integrated with when they brought it from Earth."

Jack gave her a look Sam was completely familiar with.

"It already knew the language, sir," she clarified.

"Oh."

"So you're ready to turn it over to Doctor Weir and Daniel, then?" Mitchell asked.

Sam nodded again.

"I've taken advantage of the time here to gather a little more data from the ship and put it on the hard drive as well, so the two of them should have plenty to work with. Probably."

"Good," Jack said, looking around and counting heads once more. Something he was used to doing where Daniel was involved. "Let's head back to Atlantis, then."

"But, sir, I could start on the ship's technology," Sam said. "Now that I'm finished with the data switch I-"

"Colonel, we'll be back first thing tomorrow. After we've managed to get some sleep and something to eat. And we'll even bring McKay so you can have help."

She nodded, seeing the practicality of that – besides, she was hungry, and they'd only brought MREs with them. If they went back, she could sleep in a bed instead of on cool lava, and she could have a real meal.

"Yes, Sir."

"Where's your Mok, Daniel?" Melony asked, curiously, looking around, now that things had been decided.

Daniel reddened slightly.

"It wandered off – probably to graze, or whatever they do."

"Too bad," Jack murmured, and Sam hid her smile, knowing full well that he'd wanted a chance to tease Daniel a bit. Ah well, that could wait as well. "Let's get going." And he led them towards the exit tube, and the Jumper.

OOOOOOOO

Once again, it was Weir and Kale who were waiting for them at the Jumper bay. This time, however, Rodney McKay was there as well.

"Welcome back, General," Elizabeth said as Jack and the others disembarked.

"Thanks."

"Any luck?"

Jack nodded, but didn't say anything. Sam, however, handed the laptop she'd been carrying over to Weir, who took it.

"This holds a copy of everything that device that Colonel Mitchell and Talon discovered on the Wraith dart. Most of it looked like 'writing' of some sort – although there were also some technological speculations of a sort that I wasn't able to decipher just then. Maybe the blueprints to building a dart or something."

Weir looked at it with eagerness and at Sam with just a little awe, and Jack knew it was because she was impressed at what Sam had accomplished in just that day.

"Thank you."

They could all tell that she was eager to head off and start looking through it immediately, but like Daniel, she had to wait, because Jack spoke up next.

"I want to have a quick briefing before you get too involved in that, Doctor Weir."

She nodded.

"After we get cleaned up and get a bite to eat," Mitchell added. She hadn't been doing anything all that grubby that day, but she felt grimy and she was hungry.

Weir nodded again, as did Jack.

Kale stepped forward, smiling down at Sam.

"Are all the women where you come from so intelligent, Colonel Carter?" He asked.

Jack scowled thunderously as Sam blushed brilliantly for no reason at all – it wasn't the first time she'd ever been complimented about being smart, after all – and Mitchell noticed the look, even as Talon figured out the reason before she did.

_You'd better have a talk with Colonel O'Neill, Hot Shot. And the others, too_

Why? It was an honest question, Melony said, silently. All he's seen are the scientists Weir brought with her – why wouldn't he think that it is unusual that they're all brilliant?

_O'Neill looks ready to go into Alpha Male mode_, Talon noted, _and I'll bet your last dollar that it's because of those pheromones that Kale is giving off_

What?

She looked over at Jack again, and realized that his initial scowl hadn't faded like it should have.

"Jack?" she spoke up, agreeing immediately with Talon. "We need to talk for a minute before the briefing."

"After we eat," O'Neill said, not even turning her direction.

"Now."

Now he scowled at Melony, but she didn't back down, and he knew she wasn't going to.

"It's important," Mitchell added, lamely.

Jack nodded.

"Let's go, then." He looked at the others. "We'll meet you in the commissary."


	37. 37

Annoyed at being pulled away before he had a chance to eat – even though he wasn't as annoyed as he would have been had it been anyone else – Jack scowled at Mitchell as they walked along the corridor towards her quarters for lack of any better destination.

"All right, Melony. What's so important that it couldn't wait until after I ate?"

Melony glanced around. Although the topic was hardly top secret, she didn't want to be overheard, because no one should ever think that a general needed warnings about anything.

"You need to be careful around Kale and the other Light Ones, Jack."

His scowl deepened.

"Why? He's tall, but I doubt he's all that dangerous…"

"Not because he's dangerous, Jack," Melony said, knowing that would have been the first thing he'd thought of. "The Light Ones are a fairly peaceful race of people – although they can be dangerous, they've never been anything but helpful to us."

"Then why?"

"Because Kale and the others emanate large quantities of pheromones – far more than any human, or even a group of them. They do it naturally, and aren't even aware of the effects it has on the humans around them – the Light Ones haven't had a lot of contact with humans in their past. Not for a long time."

"Pheromones?"

She nodded.

"Most of the time they're pretty harmless, but I don't know if you noticed that the Light Ones pretty much exude sexuality. It's another part of their nature – and they have it down pat, let me tell you – but with the pheromones it can become a little –"

"They're trying to attract mates?"

She started to shake her head, but Talon interrupted before she could.

_He's right, to a point. Only they're trying to attract a mate from among their own people, and the humans who spend more time around them are just getting caught up in it_

"Yeah, they are, but not from around here. It's just something they can't turn off, I suppose. More than the whole sex thing, though, it's also possible for those of us who are a little more… aggressive… to become a _lot_ more aggressive."

Which Jack knew meant him. But he wasn't the only one who had the tendency to be aggressive.

"Why doesn't it affect you?"

"Talon controls that kind of stuff with me. He's the one who warned me about it, and I warned the others. But I was pretty sure no one had taken the time to warn you and SG-1, so I thought we'd better."

"Huh…"

Melony smiled.

"Now that you're aware of the problem, you'll at least know _why_ you want to shoot Kale or Char every time one of them smiles at Colonel Carter – although I know that isn't completely because of the Light Ones…"

Jack shot her a look and Melony gave him an innocent look, knowing that he'd never admit to anything. Sure enough, he shrugged.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Uh huh."

He scowled, wondering how the conversation had turned so quickly. But he had his own way to switch that around, and his scowl faded as they reached her quarters and she opened the door, gesturing for him to precede her into the room.

"So tell me this, smart ass," Jack said as he flopped down on her bed, looking up at her. "Do those pheromones have anything to do with what's going on between you and Beckett?"

She was floored, and couldn't even hide it.

"What do you mean?"

He rolled his eyes.

"Oh, _please_… a blind man could see that there's something going on, and I know you well enough to know that what I'm seeing is something a bit more serious than a fling."

She ignored Talon's amusement. Of course he would have caught it. She was good at hiding her feelings, but she'd never been able to hide anything from Jack. He knew her way to well.

"No."

"No?"

She sighed.

"No, what's going on between Carson and myself has nothing to do with the pheromones. I already said that Talon handles those for me so I'm not affected by them."

"But there _is_ something between you?"

She nodded.

"Something."

Jack scowled.

"_Beckett_?"

She matched his scowl.

"What do you mean by that?"

"He's…" Jack floundered for a diplomatic word, and failed. "A _weenie_."

"He is _not_."

"What's wrong with _Sheppard_? Sheppard's a Military man. An _Air Force_ man, even, and-"

"And a dark-haired, light-eyed Major…" Melony interrupted, softly, feeling a terrible ache that she hadn't felt so acutely in months. "I… I-"

He stopped her, knowing she was faltering, and understanding why. And feeling like a heel for bringing up something so painful. Jack stood up, gathering her in his arms and holding her close.

"I'm sorry, Melony…" He pressed a kiss against her hair as he felt her arms come around her, taking the comfort he was offering. "Obviously, you'd avoid a relationship with Sheppard. I understand…"

She nodded, her face buried in his chest.

"But Beckett _is_ a weenie…" Jack said, trying to regain the lighter mood and fairly certain he could. "What about Ford? He's a good guy, and you've known him a lot longer than-"

"He's about ten years _younger_ than me, Jack," she said, turning her head and feeling the tight knot in her chest ease just a little. She still hurt, but being held was definitely helping, and Talon was helping as well. "Although I _did_ consider McKay…"

"You did _not_."

Even Jack would never believe that.

She smiled.

"Well… no… He's a bit-"

"Of a jerk."

"Nah, he's not that bad when you get to know him. He's just a little more arrogant than I can handle every day, I think." She looked up at him, pulling away. "Although Sam might like the new him… he knows how to shoot a gun, now, and he's-"

"She has better taste than that," Jack interrupted, scowling, because he knew that Melony had once more turned the tables on him, although he was glad she was willing to tease – even if it was him she was teasing.

"Have you had that talk with her, yet?"

"I'm hungry. Let's go eat."

"You're going to have to eventually…"

Jack sighed, and hugged Melony once more, tilting her head up and kissing her cheek.

"I'll think about it."

"You do that, Jack."

She knew better than anyone that things could change in the blink of an eye.


	38. 38

Once he was sure that Melony was feeling better – he watched for the slightly haunted look in her eyes to fade – Jack suggested that they head over and get some dinner and discuss things while it was all still fresh in their minds. Besides, he was hungry. Smiling, Melony agreed, and the two of them left her quarters and headed for the commissary, not talking, but not needing to, either.

The room was fairly empty – mainly because it was between lunch and dinner on Atlantis time – even though on Talonopolis it was well past dinner. Knowing that O'Neill and Mitchell were going to want to discuss things once they arrived, the group had found seats together, Weir, Kale and McKay just drinking coffee to keep the others company while they ate, although the others were all working their way through a fairly large meal of stew and hot bread. Which Melony and Jack headed over to dish up for themselves as well before coming over to join them.

Melony set her meal down beside Carson, and went for coffee, while Jack sat down on the other side of the table, beside Sam, who gave him a curious look, obviously curious if everything was all right. His smile was answer enough, and she went back to her meal, listening as Daniel was telling Elizabeth Weir about the language of the Wraith – that was so tantalizingly close to Ancient that it was frustrating to not understand it immediately.

Carson looked over at General O'Neill as he sat down across from him, feeling a stab of anxiety when the general caught his eye a few moments later.

"How's the stew, doc?"

"What?" He groaned silently to himself at the response. God! He was an _adult_. Melony was an _adult_. Why did he feel like O'Neill was going to break him in two if he found out about him and Melony? "Oh. It's… it's good."

Jack's amused look was positively gloating, but Carson didn't recognize it as such. He wasn't sure what to make of it, and he was grateful when Melony came over, holding a couple of cups of coffee and handing one to O'Neill before sitting down beside Carson. She shot Jack a look, wondering why he was looking so amused and he returned it with a look that was so innocent she wondered what he'd done wrong.

_He's probably been intimidating him…_

She was pretty sure Talon was right, but she couldn't prove it without asking, and besides, she knew Jack wouldn't really do anything to Carson – especially now that he knew how she felt about him. If anything, Jack would go out of his way to make sure nothing happened to him, just because he wouldn't want Melony to have to go through what she'd already faced once. Feeling that same ache at the memory, Melony looked down at her bowl, and immediately felt Carson's hand come to rest on her leg, distracting her from that loss, and reminding her that she wasn't alone – even if he wasn't aware he was doing it.

Feeling better already, she glanced over at him, and rested her hand over his, while she started eating with the other hand. The conversations at the table never stopped, and Melony was pretty sure that no one but Jack and Carson had even noticed anything.

OOOOOOOOO

Once everyone had eaten, Jack took control of the impromptu meeting, setting his spoon down and draining his coffee cup.

"Okay."

Everyone stopped talking and turned to look at him, and Jack turned to Daniel.

"Do you think you'll be able to translate that language?"

"Yes. With Doctor Weir's help, we shouldn't have too much problem. It's very similar to Ancient."

"Good." Jack turned to Sam. "You and McKay are going to take a look at the Wraith darts, right?"

Sam nodded.

"It'd be easier if we could read the language, but Doctor McKay and I aren't willing to wait that long to start trying to figure it out."

Of course they weren't.

"Then you two will head for the Lava Base first thing in the morning. With a security force led by Lieutenant Ford."

Ford looked up, surprised.

"Me?"

He and the rest of them naturally assumed that O'Neill or Mitchell would be in charge of such a force. And if _not_ one of them, then Major Sheppard.

"What are you going to be doing?" Weir asked, catching on immediately, and being one of the few who was willing to ask.

Jack looked over at Melony, and then back at Weir.

"We're going to go find some more Wraith."

Melony nodded. Perfect.

"You're going to go looking for-"

"Wraith," Jack repeated. "For one thing, I want to see these things for myself. For another; if two darts are good, then four or five will be even better."

"Four or five?" McKay repeated. "Who's going to fly them?"

"I can," Melony said.

"So can I," Sheppard said. Why else had they spent the day learning how to do just that? He was ready to take the fight to the Wraith – even if it wasn't all that much just then.

"As can I," Teal'c added.

Jack nodded.

"Colonel Mitchell's plan worked fairly well and netted her two darts and a lot of their technology – including weapons."

"_Three_ darts," Melony corrected.

Sam smiled at Jack's scowl.

"Three darts," he repeated. "I'd like a lot more of their things – especially if Carter and McKay can figure out how to use it – and that ravine that leads to the lava base is easily big enough to be a parking lot for a small fleet of darts. Maybe even something bigger, if we can find it."

"Like what?" McKay asked.

"Something _bigger_," Jack said, shrugging. How the hell was he supposed to know what was bigger than a dart until he saw it and captured it?

"The Wraith are dangerous," Kale said, softly. He didn't like the idea of Melony going off looking for even more of them – although he had known she probably would.

"So are we," Jack said. He looked over at Teyla. "However… I'm not above having an edge when I can get it."

Teyla caught his look curiously, wondering what he meant.

"Your people can sense the Wraith?" Jack asked.

Ah.

She nodded.

"Some of us can."

"You can?"

"Yes. But I cannot fly one of the darts." She wasn't a pilot, and until meeting the Atlanteans had only rarely been in a flying machine. It wasn't something her people possessed, after all.

"You don't have to," Jack assured her. "I'd just like to have the early warning system if I can – especially since the Wraith will be attracted to Mitchell and Teal'c because of their symbiotes."

Teyla nodded, understanding what he was asking.

"I will accompany you, then, if you are asking me to."

Jack nodded.

"Thanks. _We'll_ leave in the morning, as well, then."

"Where are you going to go?" Weir asked curiously.

"We'll start where Melony left off – and go from there if we don't find anyone."

"I will accompany you as well," Kale said.

Jack scowled, but Melony nodded immediately. She'd been hoping he would offer, but she never would have asked.

"We could use you as a scout," she said, drawing a dark look from Jack. A look that she met easily. "The Light Ones change forms, Jack. Kale can fly, and that'll give us a huge edge."

Hadn't he just said he'd take every advantage he could get?

"I'd like to see it, first," O'Neill said, unwilling to give up the point until he absolutely had to.

"That's the next order of business then," Melony said, nodding. Besides, she couldn't wait to see Jack's reaction to that particular aspect of the Light Ones. It was amazing, and she knew he'd be impressed despite himself. "As soon as I have some more coffee."


	39. 39

"I still don't understand why we have to be up here…"

"Just watch, Jack," Melony told him, taking another sip of her coffee and watching as the rest of the group came out onto the largest of the balconies that they'd found so far. Kale was the last to come out, and to O'Neill's amazement, the Light One was buck naked when he made his appearance.

"Hey! He's-"

"The clothes don't change," Melony explained, as Jack scowled.

Remembering what she'd told him about pheromones, he tried to look at things rationally, even as he turned to look at Sam, who was looking _anywhere_ but at Kale and looked far more uncomfortable than he felt. Her eyes met his, and he couldn't help but smile – because he'd never seen her blush so red. Ever.

"Watch, Jack." Melony said, turning his attention from Sam back to Kale. Just in time to see the Light One vanish and a moment later a vicious looking wolf-like creature taking his place.

"Holy shit!"

Jack wasn't the only one to stare, and those who had seen it before took delight in the reactions of those who hadn't. Daniel took a step backwards, and then a step forward, as if uncertain whether to get closer or not, and Sam's red face had gone pale once more, her eyes wide. Even Teal'c, who normally was unflappable, was visibly impressed.

"Now a bird, Kale," Melony requested.

An instant later the wolf was gone and a huge bird was in its place. A _huge_ bird.

"It can fly?" Daniel asked, obviously impressed by the size, but never before seeing a bird so large. Certainly something that big would never get off the ground.

"Not only can he fly, but in a pinch, he can carry someone."

"Yeah?"

She nodded, but McKay spoke up, unable to keep quiet.

"We've been carried by them. I don't recommend the landing – since all they can do is drop you and hope it's someplace soft – but the flight itself isn't too bad."

_Unless you have a talon in your shoulder_

Yeah, there is that.

She didn't think it was really necessary to let Jack (_especially_ Jack) know about that, though, since it had been an accident. She felt Talon's agreement, and smiled as she stepped away from O'Neill and walked over to the bird, who was easily big enough to rip her into pieces. Resting her hand on the soft feathers that covered his breast, she looked at the others.

"Do you guys need a flight demonstration?"

Sam shook her head, as did Jack, but Daniel hesitated. He would have liked to see it fly – and better yet, he'd have loved a chance to be carried around. But he was pretty sure that request wouldn't go over very well.

Mitchell stepped clear of the bird, and a moment later Kale was standing there once more, still naked, but not at all uncomfortable about it. Unlike Sam, who once more averted her eyes, and Jack, who scowled again.

"Did you see that?" Daniel asked, amazed. He wasn't at all concerned about the nakedness, he was just amazed by the whole transformation thing – and Jack had to admit that the transformation thing was pretty cool. He'd admit it a bit easier once Kale was dressed again.

"I saw… _everything_…" O'Neill said, dryly, and Mitchell wasn't the only one to grin at that.

"Do you not believe the Wraith will notice a bird of such great size?" Teal'c asked. It wasn't much of an advantage to have a scout if that scout stuck out so much.

Kale shrugged.

"They will only see a bird. My eyesight is very good, and I will remain far above the ground – which will make my size seem less significant. I do not intend to fight the Wraith – because in my bird form there isn't much I could do against them or their weapons – but I can tell you where they are."

Teal'c nodded, and Jack had to nod as well. He could understand why Melony wanted Kale along, and once he managed to get past that irrational annoyance he was feeling – pheromones at work? – he was in complete agreement.

"We could use your help," he said. "If you're still willing to come along."

Kale smiled, and nodded.

"My people are more than ready to ally ourselves beside yours, General O'Neill. Especially against the Wraith."

Jack nodded again.

"Well… we're not leaving until morning… so um… why don't you go ahead and get some clothes on?"

Daniel looked like he was going to say something, but instead, he turned to Weir.

"_We_ don't have to wait until morning, Doctor Weir. If you're ready…?"

He couldn't wait to get his hands on the Wraith language – although oh he wanted to get Kale to fly him around!

She nodded, smiling at Kale.

"I'll leave you to discuss strategies with General O'Neill and his team."

"I shall come find you later," Kale told her, taking his clothes from Carson, who had been carrying them.

OOOOOOO

"So is there a limit to how many times you can change forms in a day?" Jack asked as the group that was going to go Wraith hunting separated from the others. Sam and Rodney went off to gather what little equipment they'd need to check out the darts – since the lava base was so well equipped, there was very little they could improve on.

Kale shook his head. Now fully dressed, he was walking easily between Melony and Jack, and the group headed for the lounge where they could get a briefing on the planet Mitchell had found the Wraith on.

"I am only limited by necessity," The Light One told him.

"No limit on how long you can stay in one form?"

"No. However, I don't fly well in the dark."

"I'm not hunting Wraith in the dark," Melony said. She hadn't when she'd been alone; she wasn't even with a group.

"The Wraith have more of an advantage in the dark," Teyla agreed. "Although they can make you see things that are not there in the daylight as well, there is a certain quality to the dark that makes things spookier."

"Your other form…?" Jack said. "It can see in the dark?"

Kale nodded, then shrugged.

"I have more of an advantage in the dark with that form, yes. But it's not like the felines. Of course, there are other advantages in that form – including an extremely good sense of smell and sharper hearing."

"He comes in handy to cuddle up to as well," Melony added. "Nothing warmer."

Jack gave her a look that made her smile.

"Yeah, well… I'll cuddle up to Teal'c, first."

And then Teal'c gave him a look, and Mitchell's smile broadened.

"Let me tell you about this planet," she said, to keep herself from laughing outright.


	40. 40

"This could be a problem…"

They'd come through the Stargate to the undesignated planet that Melony had encountered the Wraith on, and landed the Jumper a few miles from the gate – just to make sure it was out of the way in case a Wraith patrol should come by and stumble across it, even invisible. You never knew, after all. Then they'd all left the little ship, and it had promptly began raining – and the ground which had seemed dryer than it had when Mitchell had last been there immediately began to get soaked.

Jack wasn't the only one to look at Kale.

"Problem?"

"I cannot fly well in the rain. If my feathers get soaked, I'll have more trouble than usual."

Sheppard looked up at the cloudy sky.

"You wouldn't be able to see much from above, anyways, I'd imagine… not if you were high enough to be inconspicuous."

Suppressing his annoyance at losing an advantage he'd been hoping to have, Jack shrugged.

"There probably won't be any patrols out during a rainstorm anyways, but let's take a look around. I don't want to be surprised…"

Kale undressed, handing his clothes to Melony. At Jack's look, he smiled.

"My other form is more waterproof that the bird, and I can still scout ahead."

"What if the Wraith spot you?" Jack said, immediately showing that he'd already made the switch in his thinking that put Kale as one of his own team and was looking out for him like he would have anyone else, instead of just being annoyed with him for being so big, and… alien… and naked. "I don't want you getting into trouble ranging away from us."

"They cannot feed on animals, Colonel O'Neill." Kale said. "In my other forms, I am safe – and can spot them easier than if I remained in human form."

"He's right, Jack," Melony said, nodding. "The Wraith don't feed on animals."

"How do you know that?"

"One told me."

"You _asked_ it?"

She smiled as Kale changed forms, obviously uncomfortable being naked in the rain.

"I was actually talking to myself – Talon, really – and it answered me. Came right up out of nowhere and surprised the hell out of me. But it told me that they don't feed on animals – only sentient creatures."

"Huh." Jack looked at Kale, who was still standing beside Melony. "Well, be careful anyways. They might make an exception."

The wolf-like creature nodded its head in a very non-wolf-like action, and headed for the closest stand of trees, his head down and his tail up.

"I didn't bring a pooper-scooper," Jack muttered, shaking his head. This was not a situation he'd ever have believed he'd find himself in… never.

Melony grinned, and hefted her P90, while the others did the same. Falling into position, with Teyla and Teal'c on the flanks and Sheppard on rear guard, she and O'Neill headed out towards the same grove of trees, where Kale had just vanished.

OOOOOOOO

By the time it was starting to get dark – although it had been gray and rainy all day – they'd established that there weren't any Wraith in the nearby area. Mitchell had taken them to the site of her last encounter with the Wraith, but there hadn't been a sign that anyone had been there before and that anyone had been there since. Not surprising, really, since the rain would have washed that away fairly quickly.

"We'll see how it looks tomorrow," Jack said, as they all headed back for the Jumper. They would camp out in the ship, because none of them relished the thought of sleeping on the wet ground if they didn't have to. With the cloak in place, they really wouldn't even need to stand watch – although they would, anyways, because none of them liked the idea of maybe having Wraith sneak up on them in the dark, drawn by Mitchell and Teal'c's added life force – or just pure dumb luck.

"Hopefully it will stop raining," Teyla said. It was as close as she'd come to complaining.

"It's going to smell like wet dog all night," Jack said, looking at Kale, who was shaking himself, water spraying in all directions from his shaggy fur.

Mitchell smiled, and a moment later the Light One reappeared, still soaked, but far less furry.

"Let's get some dinner," Melony said, heading onto the Jumper. "I'm starving."

OOOOOOOO

"I'm not sure I like being this close to this thing…"

Sam looked over at McKay, who was standing beside her and in front of the Wraith dart that had been brought into the Lava Base.

"It's not going to blow up."

He scowled.

"That's not what I mean."

"What do you mean, then?"

Rodney hesitated, but then shrugged, noticing that Ford was watching as well as he directed his security force into several positions, all of them ignoring the Mok, which had once more wandered into the main cavern – although none of them could find any droppings, so as long as it was house trained they weren't going to complain. Besides, the thing weighed a lot more than any of them, and if it didn't want to be moved, none of them were going to be able to move it.

"It doesn't matter, I suppose," Rodney said. Just because he felt dread whenever he looked at the deadly little ship didn't mean there was any reason not to want to check it out. It would probably wield a lot of technology that they'd be able to use. Or at least give them an understanding of their newest enemy. "How does the metal melt like that to open the hatch?"

Sam shrugged, and reached out, touching the panel that caused it to happen. They both watched, impressed, as the hatch reformed, once more a solid piece of who knew what kind of metal.

"I'd say that's one of the things we'll want to check out, huh?"

"Yeah."

Of course, so was everything else.

"We'd better get to it. I'd like to have something to report by the time General O'Neill and the others find us more to study."

She touched the panel again, and the ship opened once more. Taking a large lantern, Sam stepped up into the craft, followed only a moment later by McKay.


	41. 41

By the time they'd spent three days slogging through swamps and mud puddles in the rain, the entire group was grouchy and tired and more than ready to give up on finding Wraith on this particular planet.

"I can't even imagine what the Wraith _you_ found were doing here," O'Neill said to Mitchell as they all loaded into the Jumper and Mitchell produced the gate address for the next planet that had been on her original list of Wraith hunting locations.

She shrugged, feeling just a bit guilty. All of them were muddy, and dirty, and soaked through and through; clothes, hair – except Teal'c – and jackets. They hadn't complained all that much about it, and it wasn't really her fault, but she felt guilty nonetheless, and was glad that the next planet they were going to was one that was a lot warmer.

"Probably got lost," she said, sitting in the co-pilot's seat next to Sheppard and checking the dialing address she was going to put in once they were near the gate. "Which would explain why no one came looking for them, I suppose."

"They didn't know where to find them." Teyla guessed.

"It is as good a guess as any," Teal'c agreed. "They must realize something has happened to their patrol by now, but if they do not return through the Stargate, then there is nothing they can do to help them without knowing where they were."

"They probably don't get lost all that often," Sheppard said. "Not if they don't even bother with homing devices to find their ships."

Mitchell shrugged again.

"It's as good a reason as any."

"We're set," Jack told Sheppard as Kale transformed and came on board the Jumper naked but already reaching for the towel Teal'c handed him. Kale, more than any of the others, had been working hard the last few days, wading through the mud in his wolf form and giving warning the few times they came upon creatures on the planet that weren't Wraith but could prove to be just as dangerous to the mired group. Because of this willingness to work with the group, Jack was becoming more accepting of the Light One, and it made things that much easier when Mitchell didn't have to remind him not to be a jerk.

Nodding, Sheppard took off, aiming the Jumper for the gate and waiting for Melony to enter the address.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Now _this_ is more like it."

"I thought you'd approve."

The planet they were on now – A-035 – was a hot, dry and arid world, although it wasn't barren like Melonyville was. There were occasional forests of trees, and mountains in the distance, and as Sheppard put the Jumper down in a clearing in one of those forests, the group could even see a river meandering through a valley close at hand.

"Welcome to A-035," Sheppard said, smiling as he slapped open the back hatch from his pilot's seat. "The temperature outside is a balmy 92 degrees, with negligible winds coming from the same direction as the sun. Please gather all your luggage and try not to make a pass at the stewardesses on your way out the door, and thank you for flying Jumper Air…"

Mitchell and O'Neill both grinned, but Teyla and Kale neither one had a clue why this was so funny, and although Teal'c understood it, he just failed to see the humor in the situation.

"What luggage?" Kale asked as he stepped off the hatch, his damp clothes already starting to dry in the hot air.

"What is a stewardess?" Teyla asked, equally mystified, but just as glad to see the sun shining on this new planet.

"They-"

"Never mind," Jack said, hopping off the ramp and putting on his sunglasses as they looked around. "It's Earth humor, and until you've been there, you won't get it."

Teyla watched as he walked into the closest grove of forest, followed by Mitchell and Sheppard, but before she could say anything, Teal'c came up behind her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She turned, looking up at him.

"I have been to Earth, and I still do not get their humor," the Jaffa told her. "Do not concern yourself trying to understand it."

He hefted his staff weapon, but before he walked off to join the others, she thought she might have detected just a hint of amusement in his deep brown eyes, and she smiled as she followed. At least she wasn't the only one who didn't get it.

As they entered the forest area, Jack turned to Teyla.

"Sense anything?"

She hadn't when she'd left the Jumper, so she shook her head.

"Nothing yet."

"But there's a range on how far away they can be, right?"

She nodded.

"I do not know what that range is, exactly, but if I sense something, I will tell you."

"Good."

Jack looked over at Kale, who was looking around as well, already undressed.

"Bird or dog?"

The Light One smiled.

"Bird."

A moment later, the giant bird was in front of them, and Mitchell moved aside as he launched himself into the air, little feathers flying in the dirt and wind that was kicked up by the effort. All of them watched as Kale gained altitude, and Jack turned to Melony.

"Yeah. That's just impressive."

She nodded, and stuff Kale's clothing into her pack.

"Too bad there's no way to communicate with him until he gets back."

True.

"Well…" Jack said, slinging his P90 over his shoulder where it would ride comfortably and still be where he could get to it quickly if he needed to. "Let's take a look around. I'm not fond of trees, so I vote we go towards that plain, first…"

"That is the best choice for where a Wraith patrol might land," Teyla agreed.

Melony didn't care which direction they went. She was just glad to have a chance to dry out.

_Baby_

Hush.

Talon chuckled in her mind, and still grinning, Mitchell gestured to Jack, indicating that she'd take point.


	42. 42

By the time they'd spent two days on A-035, all of them were wishing for a little rain. The sun was hot. And even through the trees that they wandered through occasionally it beat down on them mercilessly.

"It has to rain," Mitchell said, crossly, walking beside Jack as they set out early the third morning from the spot they'd camped at the night before. Since the weather was so mild, they had decided they didn't need to stay by the Jumper – and that gave them more traveling room to explore and hopefully come across the Wraith. "If it didn't rain, then the trees wouldn't be so green. Not this far from that river."

"I don't care about the trees," he said, scowling up at the hot sun, although he couldn't see much through the canopy of leaves they were under just then. "I just don't want bake to death."

She smiled.

"It's not that bad, Jack."

"It could be…"

"It's not."

"That's because you have _Talon_ to keep you cool…"

"I was cool long before I blended with Talon. Ask anyone."

O'Neill snorted, and started to say something, but was suddenly interrupted by a loud screech above them. They both looked up – as did Sheppard, Teal'c and Teyla, who were walking behind the two.

"That was Kale," Mitchell said, pulling her P90 from the position it had been in on her shoulder.

They all took a more defensive stance – not like the ragged formation they'd been walking in – and waited for another screech from above.

A moment later, however, Kale appeared in front of them, now in wolf form, emerging from the brush without a sound – which was almost spooky given the great size of him. He reverted to human form immediately, and turned to Jack.

"There are Wraith here," he told them all.

"Where?"

"I spotted a dart flying towards the mountain area – that direction," he said, gesturing the way they had been going. "It was joined by another only minutes later – and another coming from the other way."

"Are they looking for us?" Sheppard asked, looking up as if he expected a dart to appear any minute.

"They can't know we're here," Jack said. He looked at Teyla. "You can sense Teal'c's symbiote, right?"

"And Colonel Mitchell's, yes."

"From how far away?"

"Several hundred feet."

"So the Wraith probably have to be that close, too, then."

"Perhaps not. They are probably more sensitive to the life forces of those around them, since it is what they eat," Teal'c said.

"True," Mitchell agreed.

"But they probably don't sense Melony and Teal'c from where they are…" Jack said.

"No. Probably not," Teyla concurred.

"Then let's see if we can find them before they find us – and maybe we can use Melony and Teal'c as bait…"

"Bait?" Teyla asked, confused.

Melony just smiled. She was more than willing to be bait. She'd been bait before, after all.

"Teal'c and I'll take point, then, Jack."

The Jaffa nodded his agreement, moving up to stand beside Mitchell.

"Good," Jack said. "We'll cover you from the rear and sides, if we can, and Kale, you go back into the air and give us a good scream if you see any of them getting close – then get the hell out of the way so they don't start taking potshots at you."

The Light One nodded and transformed back into wolf form. The trees were too thick here for him to get into the air, but there was a clearing close by he could use. As silently as he'd appeared, he'd vanished once more.

"I wish we had about a dozen more of them with us," Jack muttered.

Melony smiled at the change of heart, and clicked off the safety on her machine gun, looking at Teal'c.

"Ready?"

"Indeed."

The two of them headed out, and once they were just barely out of sight, the others followed them.

OOOOOOOO

The attack came so quickly they almost weren't ready for it. Even as there was a piercing scream from above, there were several movements in the trees around them, drawing Teal'c's attention.

"Those aren't there," Mitchell called to him, drawing his gaze back to her – although he looked the other way once or twice more. She – and Teyla – had already given them the information they needed about how the Wraith used mind tricks to confuse and frighten their prey before they attacked. Probably it added to the appeal of the prize, since the adrenaline might make for a better meal. It was a gruesome thought, but one that Talon had decided was probably fairly accurate. "Watch the front…"

That was where she was sure the attack was going to come from, and sure enough, that was where they were. One minute the clearing they had just entered was empty, and the next there were more than a dozen Wraith standing there, all holding weapons and watching Teal'c and Mitchell with hunger in their eyes – as well as curiosity.

Mitchell pointed her zat towards them, even as Teal'c levered his staff weapon at the closest, and both stopped.

"What are you?" The Wraith closest to them asked. He was fully intending to feed off them – which was why none of the Wraith had fired at them, since they needed to be alive – but before he did, he wanted to know what they were, and where they could find more.

Teal'c was watching the Wraith just as intently as they were watching him. Like Talon, he'd always believed the Wraith to be a myth – tales told to frighten young children into obedience – and even though he'd seen the videos taken of the captured Wraith that Sheppard had told them of, he was still amazed to be face to face with one. Well, several. Not so amazed that he was frozen, but it was nonetheless Mitchell, who stepped forward, even as Talon took control.

"I am Talon. System Lord of this region and _Goa'uld_. What are you?"

Of course they knew what they were, but it was better to feign ignorance – because it would put the Wraith off guard if they thought the people they were speaking to didn't realize the danger they were in.

"Goa'uld?" The leader repeated, clearly startled. "The Goa'uld are a _myth_!"

_Where have I heard that before_? Talon asked, sarcastically. It was the exact dame thing the last patrol had said.

"Indeed, we are quite real," Teal'c said, his voice calm as he fired the staff weapon, knocking the leader of the Wraith off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground several feet away, where he lay motionless.

Then all hell broke loose.


	43. 43

The Wraith were not a warrior race – Teal'c could tell instantly from their reaction. They were stunned for a moment as they watched their leader fall, and that was all the time Teal'c and Mitchell needed to aim at the next closest two figures. Mitchell's zat fired at the same time the Jaffa's staff weapon did, and two more dropped. But now the reinforcements were coming, and suddenly the small clearing that had held only a dozen Wraith was suddenly filled with them, and there was no room for a lot of finesse – which was a problem, since the primary goal of the attack was to kill the Wraith but separate them from their technology at the same time. 

Gunfire sounded from behind them, and Teal'c and Mitchell both dove for what little cover they could find as yet more Wraith came into the clearing, their own stunning weapons firing now and what little advantage of surprise they had was gone, now.

Where the hell are they coming from?

Talon didn't answer, and Mitchell knew he was too busy keeping her mind clear – because there were some weird movements going on around the clearing as well, and she could hear Teyla yelling that they weren't real – although she wasn't sure who the Athosian was yelling to.

Jack had decided almost instantly that it was far more important to survive this encounter than to get any of the Wraith's stuff, and his P90 was firing full automatic, in short, controlled bursts designed to make the most of each one. He took careful note of where the members of his team where, and opened up, dropping the Wraith closest to him, and then the ones that were advancing on Teyla – who was closest to him. But there were a million of them, it seemed. The woods were filled with movements and shapes and they were starting to confuse him.

Teyla noticed he kept turning away from the fight, and shouted her reminder, but she was hard-pressed, also – even though the biggest part of the battle was waging around Mitchell and Teal'c, who had to be driving the Wraith crazy with want with their enhanced life-forces, only to be delivering death to them as they tried to figure out a way to knock them out without killing them, so they could feed and maybe find out if there were more like them.

So far, they hadn't managed to land a blow with their stunner gun, but even Jack knew it was just a matter of time, and he pressed the attack on the creatures that he had in front of him, shooting them and clearing the way, and then moving into another forward position as soon as he had them down.

Sheppard was behind him, watching their left flank while Teyla was watching the right, but those two were also doing a kind of clean up duty at the same time. They'd dropped their P90s and were using zats, now, shooting the downed Wraith to make sure they were stunned, then kicking away weapons and whatever else looked like technology before they shot them twice more, making the Wraith vanish before they could regenerate and pose a threat from behind.

It was scary work, because they had to be so close to the Wraith – especially for Teyla who could actually feel them inside her somehow – but they worked quickly, taking turns guarding each other, and Jack when they could, and the numbers of the Wraith were diminishing rapidly.

Because of the two behind him, Jack was more or less entirely focused on the front, firing at anything that got in his way – as long as it wasn't Melony or Teal'c – and mowing through the Wraith with a deadly efficiency. So intent was he on the front, though, and secure that Teyla and Sheppard had his back, he missed the one that was sneaking up beside him, less than twenty feet away, but unwilling to kill him because he wanted to feed on him. While this one didn't have the incredible life-force that the two in the front did, he was appealing – many Wraith preferred to feed on warriors because they tended to be the ones that fought the hardest against it, making the meal that much more satisfying, and this Wraith was no different.

Jack turned just as the Wraith made his move, bringing the P90 up. The weapon jammed at the worst possible time, and O'Neill reached for his Berretta, knowing he'd never be able to drop the thing with the smaller caliber weapon, even if he did manage to get it up in time.

A snarl like nothing he'd ever heard before sounded, and suddenly a heavy gray form was streaking in between him and the Wraith, huge teeth flashing dangerously close to Jack for a moment, and then clamping down tight on the Wraith's neck, ripping its throat out with a sickening sound that was punctuated by yet another snarl. As Jack (and Teyla and Sheppard) watched in shocked awe, the wolf that was Kale shook his head hard, snapping the dead Wraith's neck and almost ripping its head off of what little was left of its neck. Then it dropped its bloody victim, and the golden eyes looked over at Jack.

"Thanks."

There was a definite canine snort, and Kale bounded away, looking for another victim while Jack loaded a fresh magazine into his P90, and Sheppard squeamishly decided to just evaporate that particular Wraith. All its equipment was covered with Wraith blood – and other pieces – and he figured they wouldn't miss one. The Wraith vanished, and the fighting continued – although now O'Neill was a lot closer to getting into a defensive position with Mitchell and Teal'c, and there were very few Wraith left to shoot back.

But they weren't going to wave any white flags, and everyone knew it.

"Jack! Just use your zat, now!"

Melony had seen enough. Plenty of the Wraith that Teal'c had dropped had lost their weapons before she'd zatted them into oblivion, and she desperately wanted to make sure none escaped to warn the other Wraith – wherever they may be – of what had happened. She wanted the darts, and whatever other ships there might be, and she didn't want any of them to be flown away by escaping enemies.

Teal'c had already switched over to a zat as well, and was proving just how good a shot a First Prime could be. The Wraith couldn't find cover quickly enough – and it didn't help that they were seeing technology that they couldn't possibly have seen before. Shocked by the viciousness of the attack and subsequent defense of the clearing, they were the ones that were outnumbering, and yet, they were having their asses handed to them, vanishing left and right.

Mitchell and Teal'c were an effective team, and even as Jack came up beside them, his own zat sounding off – although he was having trouble finding any targets, now. Another flash of gray, and a startled cry that ended in a gurgling rumble, and Mitchell lowered her zat, letting Teal'c cover her as she looked for any other targets.

It was Kale who officially ended the firefight. The Light One's senses in wolf form were much better than any of the humans, and when he shifted form back to human, standing in the middle of the clearing naked and unconcerned, the others all lowered their weapons as well.

"No more?" Jack asked, standing up slowly, looking around.

"They are all dead," Kale answered.

"What about the ones that ran?" Teal'c asked, looking around as well. He had seen a few turn and run the way they'd come.

"None escaped."

Which was Kale's way of telling them what he had been doing during the fight before he'd made his appearance.

"The Wraith are not effective fighters," Teal'c said, looking around at the clearing, which was littered with weapons and technology of all sorts.

"They rely on greater numbers, and fear," Teyla agreed.

"And they screw with your head," Jack said.

Teyla nodded her agreement.

"A group this large is going to be missed fairly quickly," Mitchell said, looking around as well. "Let's look for their ships and get this stuff back to the Lava base."

"The ships are back this direction," Kale said, pointing the way the Wraith had come from. "There are only darts, but there are several."

"Let's see what we've got," Mitchell said, feeling just a bit smug. They'd fought off quite an attack, and hadn't even taken an injury.

Kale turned and headed in the right direction, and the others followed


	44. 44

"Not a bad haul…"

Mitchell nodded in response to Sheppard's comment. All of them were carrying armloads of Wraith technology; weapons, communicators of some sort, and who knew what else? Some of the things were undoubtedly dangerous, but they wouldn't know until they had a chance to check it out – and even if it was dangerous, it might still be something they could use against the creatures that made them in the first place.

"Let's load it up and get it to A-43."

The plan was to play it safe and not take the new stuff directly back to the lava base – or Atlantis. What they were going to do was basically put it in a quarantine, on a planet that had been deemed as completely unsuitable for much of anything and void of most any life – at least as far as the Atlanteans had found when they'd checked it out long before Mitchell and the others had come to Pegasus. There, it'd be checked out – all the while making sure that if one of these items – and there were strange looking items in the piles that none of them had seen before – were explosive or designed to help the Wraith track them, they'd be tracking them to a world that held noting of interest to them.

Fourteen darts were now lined up in a row, waiting to be taken through the gate. It was a lot, but it didn't explain how so many Wraith ended up on the planet when they all knew that the dart was more or less designed as a one-man craft.

"Maybe they rode like we did when you were teaching us to fly?" Sheppard opinioned.

"Or maybe there's a ship around here used as a transport that we just can't see." Jack said.

"If it is, I cannot see it." Teyla said.

Of course the others had to agree to that. Even when Kale had transformed back into wolf form, trying to follow the scent of the Wraith back to where they'd come, he hadn't had any luck. Of course, there had been a lot of them, too, and the scents mingled, confusing even his sensitive nose.

"Maybe Carter's figured something out," Jack said, shrugging. "Maybe we'll get lucky and that thing she and McKay are taking apart holds some kind of Wraith encyclopedia set on disk."

Mitchell and Sheppard smiled, and Jack caught Teyla and Kale's confused looks.

As they gathered up their piles of stolen – liberated? – technology, Jack explained to those two what an encyclopedia was.

OOOOOOO

It took several trips to get the Wraith darts all over to the new planet. Only three of them could be flown at a time, since Sheppard was ferrying them in the Jumper so they wouldn't have to run back to the ambush site every time they delivered a new set of ships. It was a lot faster than when Mitchell and Talon had secured their first three darts, but it still took a lot of time, and by the time the four of them (Teal'c, Sheppard, Jack and Melony) were done, Teyla and Kale had set up a campsite somewhat close to the gate – and far from the ambush site, just on the off chance that the Wraith would come looking for their missing patrol, or group, or whatever they had been.

The newly stolen darts were well hidden from any possible detection from overhead – such as if a ship flew over looking for them. They had Kale fly over and see if he could spot them to double-check this, and the Light One told them that the only way he knew that there was anything there was because he knew where to look. Unless the Wraith had locating devices on the ships – and they were really beginning to believe that they didn't – they wouldn't know which planet to look on, and if they were doing simple sweeps, they wouldn't find anything.

Jack had some question about the amount of Wraith they'd found, since it certainly had seemed that there were a lot more than one platoon – or whatever they called their squads – but it was Teal'c who came up with the most plausible answer to that question as they were eating the dinner that the Athosian and the Light One had prepared.

"The Wraith were undoubtedly searching for their missing patrol, O'Neill. The patrol that Colonel Mitchell and Talon destroyed."

"Probably hoping to find some black boxes in the event that all three of the ships happened to crash in some freak accident," Mitchell agreed.

_Of course, there had been more than three Wraith in that patrol as well – and only three darts_, Talon said, speculatively. _Where do you suppose the others managed to find transportation?_

Huh. Good point.

She hadn't thought of that, either. Of course, to give her a little credit, she hadn't really had a chance to – since she'd been shot down on her way back with her ill-gotten goods before she had had a chance to contemplate anything but how much fun the darts were to fly.

"Maybe they have bigger ships that drop the patrols off and leave," Sheppard said, shrugging as he drained a cup of coffee. The days were so hot on this planet, but the nights were cool enough to allow them to enjoy the hot drink. Not that Mitchell needed any reason to enjoy a good cup of coffee.

"With the darts as air cover," Jack speculated.

Melony and Sheppard both shrugged.

"It's as good an explanation as anything…" And better than anything else they'd come up with. At least until they found a craft that told them otherwise.

"Well, whatever it is…" Jack said, standing up and stretching. "I'll be glad to get back to the lava base and see what they're finding out."

He didn't have to mention that he was worried and wanted to check on things, too. The thought of leaving Carter alone with potentially dangerous technology worried him. Not because she couldn't take care of herself, because he knew that she _could_. He just preferred when he was around to take care of her – when _she_ didn't know that was what he was doing, of course. The thought that something might have blown up in their faces – hers especially – was enough to make him want to rush back and check on her – them – a dozen times a day. Only the fact that he knew they'd have been contacted if something had happened, and the fact that Mitchell would have teased the hell out of him forever, kept him from doing just that. Or even mentioning that he wanted to.

"It has only been six days," Teyla said, standing as well. They weren't going to sleep outside – even though it would have been far more comfortable in the cool of the evening and after the heat of the day. There was always a chance that the Wraith would come looking for their lost people, and the Jumper afforded them protections from the life-suckers. "How much could they possibly have learned in such little time?"

Jack smiled and shook his head.

"I never underestimate Colonel Carter," he told Teyla. "She's done some amazing things in the time I've known her."

"And add to that the fact that McKay is just as brilliant – and as nosy – and we probably will have a lot of catching up to do by the time we get back." Mitchell added, smiling at Jack's scowl when she'd mentioned McKay being with Sam.

They'd spend another day policing this area – they'd already cleared out all the shell casings that would give evidence to who had ambushed the patrol should anyone come looking – but there were other things that needed to be cleared, too, and Jack wanted to take another look for a bigger ship. Just in case.


	45. 45

After an uneventful night, they had a hasty breakfast of cold MREs and headed back to Talonopolis. All of them were ready for a shower and some hot food – both of which would probably have to wait until they got back to Atlantis, and they were anxious to hear what – if anything – the others had found out.

In order to keep from startling anyone, Sheppard did a flyby of the ravine, giving those on the ground – and there damn well better have been someone guarding the entrance to the ravine entrance of the Lava Base – a chance to get word that they were coming in. Then he landed the Jumper in what had pretty much become its usual spot, settling the craft easily and giving a sigh of relief.

"Tell me you weren't worried about crashing…" O'Neill said, hearing the sound.

"Of course not. I'm just glad to be back to civilization."

"Amen to that," Mitchell said, standing up and slapping the hatch open. "I can't wait to get a hot meal."

"And a bath," Teyla agreed. A week was far too long to be without bathing – and getting rained on didn't count.

"Let's see what Carter and McKay found out," Jack said, heading out the hatch and looking around. A young Marine corporal came trotting over and saluted Jack, who returned it. "Report."

"All's quiet, Sir," the Corporal reported. "Lieutenant Ford is inside with the others – except one corporal who went back to Atlantis with a stomach flu or something."

"Stomach flu?"

The corporal gave a slightly nervous smile – he didn't know O'Neill and generals didn't normally enjoy enlisted man humor.

"He tried eating a fish he caught and it didn't agree with him. Doctor Beckett took him back to Atlantis to treat him. But he's going to be fine, he said."

Jack nodded. He'd get a report on that later, once they'd returned to Atlantis.

"Colonel Carter's inside?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. Return to your post, corporal."

The corporal saluted again, and returned to where he'd been standing by the entrance to the lava tube, and Jack and the others headed inside, glad for the relative cool of the interior of the lava flow after the last few days of sweltering heat.

Ford was coming down the tube as they headed in, obviously alerted to their arrival, and the young Lieutenant gave them a cheerful grin.

"Welcome back, sirs."

"Thanks," Jack said, handing the Lieutenant his pack. No sense carrying it when there was someone younger and fresher to do it for you, after all.

"How did things go?" Sheppard asked. "Anything interesting?"

"Duck ate a fish he probably should have left alone," Ford replied, falling into step beside them as they started walking again. "Doctor Beckett said he'll be fine – it's just food poisoning or something."

"So we heard. Anything else?"

Ford shook his head.

"Doctor McKay and Colonel Carter have been mumbling a lot to themselves and each other – but I honestly couldn't tell you what they were talking about, so I'll let them report that – everything on Atlantis seems to be fine, or so we've been told."

"Good."

Jack wasn't surprised that Ford didn't know what Carter was talking about. He'd been around her a lot longer than the Lieutenant, and _he_ didn't know what she was talking about half the time, either.

OOOOOOOOOO

They came to the main cavern about twenty minutes later, and stopped at the entrance, getting a look around before actually going in. The part of the cavern that had been put aside for the darts to be parked was littered with pieces of metal and scattered tools and diagnostic materials, while the tables that held equipment was littered with papers that had all sorts of equations, notes and who knew what else scribbled all over them. Some of these papers were in the hangar area as well, scattered on the floor in what might have been some semblance of order to those who had done the scattering but simply looked like a huge mess to those who had just arrived.

"They won't let us near anything," Ford murmured as they all took in the mess.

"Probably afraid no one would be able to find you…" Melony said, frowning. She'd left the place neat and tidy, and now it was a disaster area.

Ford smiled, but before he could say anything, McKay appeared from the rear opening of the dart and saw them. Smiling, he jumped out of the craft and headed over to them, while at the same time a movement from the other side of the cavern drew their attention, and Sam Carter came in from the lava tube that led off to the thermal room. Her smile was just as welcoming as McKay's and Mitchell just happened to be looking at Jack when he saw her – and smiled at the way his brown eyes lit up.

"How was the trip?" McKay asked, bringing their attention back to him.

"Eventful." Jack said. "What have you guys found out?"

"Tons."

"Welcome back, Sir," Carter said, coming over as well. "Any luck?"

"All of it good," Jack answered. "We have several more darts – and a lot of gadgets and gizmos for you guys."

"No one was hurt?"

She looked to make sure there were no signs of injuries, but everyone seemed in good health – if not a bit grubby looking.

"Nope. Not even a scratch. What did you guys find out?"

Sam smiled, glad that there hadn't been any injuries.

"We've managed to learn a lot. Almost as much as Daniel and Doctor Weir have. But-"

"You've kept in touch with them?"

"Yes, sir. They translated the language fairly quickly – which was a big help to us, since then we could more or less understand any instructions that the ships and other devices might have – although that was precious little."

"And?"

Sam hesitated.

"I think we need to all get together and give the reports at the same time."

"Meaning there's bad news coming…"

She nodded.

"It's not good, general."

Jack sighed, but he really hadn't expected to find out that the Wraith had really been trying to invite them to a tea party all this time, so he wasn't all that surprised.

"Fine. Let's head back to Atlantis and meet up with Daniel and Weir. I want some answers."


	46. 46

"Welcome back, General O'Neill."

Weir and Daniel were the only two that had arrived at the Jumper bay to meet the returning travelers, but they were the ones that Jack and the others needed to see the most, so that was fine all around.

"Thank you, Doctor Weir."

"How was the trip, Jack?" Daniel asked.

"Successful."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. What about you? Any luck?"

"Quite a bit," Daniel said, losing his smile of welcome. He wasn't at all surprised that Sam and McKay had retuned to Atlantis with the team Jack had taken Wraith hunting. They would have stopped at Talonopolis first, and Sam would have mentioned to Jack that there was bad news to be given, and only the fact that she needed to be in on any planning was enough to drag Sam from the Wraith technology that had been almost all she'd been talking about every time Daniel had spoken to her the past week.

"But bad news, too…?" Jack asked, confirming Daniel's guess.

"Yeah." He wrinkled his nose a little, frowning. "It can wait, though, until you and the others have a chance to get a meal… and maybe get a shower."

Jack wasn't fooled. None of them had had a chance to bathe in a week, so it was hardly their fault that they weren't smelling like roses just then.

"If you're sure…"

"Definitely," Weir added.

Mitchell smiled from the position she'd taken beside Jack, and O'Neill shrugged.

"Okay, guys – and ladies. We'll take a couple of hours and eat and get cleaned up. Then meet back in the briefing room in…" he looked at his watch. "Three hours."

Melony smiled, because that would give her enough time to get cleaned up and go look for Carson.

_He probably did that on purpose, you know?_

Probably, she agreed.

That was the kind of person Jack was, after all.

No one said anything. They all just separated, heading for various quarters, and Melony heard Talon's purely mental snicker when she and her symbiote noticed Teal'c and Teyla heading off in the direction of her quarters – which were completely on the opposite side of the Jumper bay from Teal'c's.

_I was wondering how long it was going to take those two_, the symbiote said, still amused.

What do you mean? Mitchell asked as she slapped Jack on the shoulder and gave Daniel a smile. There'd be time to chat with him later, but she really wanted to get cleaned up – and really wanted to see Carson. As she headed for the corridor that lead to her quarters – followed by Jack and Sheppard who were just as eager to get cleaned – Talon snorted.

_Oh, please. There's an attraction between those two a blind man could see, and they've just spent a week hanging out with Kale, who is throwing pheromones out left and right. Teal'c's symbiote is in larval stage and doesn't have anywhere near the control over his system that I can take over yours when necessary, and the Athosians are a very passionate race as far as I've noticed. I'm surprised the two of them didn't run off into the bushes five or six days ago_

Melony smiled, because she hadn't even considered how Kale was affecting those people with her. She knew that Jack was aware of the problem, and handling his own reaction fairly well – of course, Sam wasn't there to compound his problems, so it made it that much easier. Sheppard was probably used to Kale by now – he'd been around him quite a bit, and besides, John didn't have any romantic interest in those that had gone with them Wraith hunting. At least Melony didn't think he did – and she was a fair judge of that kind of thing. And if she wasn't, _Talon_ was. As he'd just proven.

"Three hours, Colonel," Jack admonished as she stopped in front of her door, the knowing look in his brown eyes confirming what Talon had guessed.

She smiled and gave him a salute.

"Yes, sir."

He reached out to cuff her, sending her into her quarters laughing, and she headed straight for the coffee pot. Some things never changed, after all, and no matter how dirty she felt she'd never pass up a chance for a fresh cup of coffee.

_You're pathetic…_

You like it, too, so don't even start in on me.

_I like it, but I'm not addicted to it_

Yeah, yeah.

_Go get showered, Hot Shot_, Talon said once she'd started the coffee brewing. _You'll feel better clean, and even I can smell you – and that's saying something_

She laughed, but headed for the bathroom, already stripping off her dirty clothes.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Twenty minutes later, wearing a clean uniform and holding a steaming cup of coffee – her third – Mitchell entered the infirmary, and stopped at the doorway, looking around. Immediately she saw who she was looking for, and smiling despite herself, she headed across the room.

Although he'd had his back to her, Carson turned when Melony crossed the room, and his welcoming smile made her feel almost giddy.

"I heard you were back," he said, looking her over carefully. "But I couldn't get away to come see you."

She smiled, feeling almost shy.

"It's better that you weren't there. We were looking pretty rough when we got back." And a girl always wanted to look her best for her guy, after all.

"No injuries?"

She shook her head.

"It went smoothly. Very smoothly."

"Good." He looked around, but his staff had made themselves scarce, and Carson reached for her hand, pulling her gently closer. "I missed you…"

She hugged him, glad to have her arms around him, and rested her head on his shoulder.

"I missed you, too."

"You're sure you're not hurt?"

"Positive." She smiled, tilting her head up just as he was bringing his down, and he kissed her softly. "How's Duck?"

He snorted.

"Wishing he'd never even heard of fish, I'll tell you what…"

Melony smiled.

"He's going to be okay?"

"Aye, he'll be fine – in a day or so."

"Does he need you to stay here?"

"No."

"Good."

His smile was just as broad as hers was, and the two of them left the infirmary arm in arm, heading across the hall to his quarters.


	47. 47

Exactly three hours later, they all came to the briefing room, looking chipper and refreshed – some a bit more chipper or refreshed than others. Jack was the last to arrive, and he took the spot next to Carter without comment, giving her a slight smile and nodding a greeting to the others. Sam smiled, and almost reached out and put her hand on his thigh in welcome – before she realized just how incredibly inappropriate that would have been and stopped herself. Blushing furiously, she turned her attention on the papers in front of her – hastily scribbled notes about the technology they'd managed to sort out so far.

"All right, people," Jack said, bringing them to order, even though they were already all watching him. Carson Beckett had joined the meeting and was seated beside Melony on her right, while Kale was on her left. Daniel was beside Elizabeth, who was between him and Rodney McKay, and Sheppard had the other side of Jack, with Teyla beside him and Teal'c next to her. "What do we got?"

"We've got a serious problem, Jack," Daniel said, somberly. "As far as Elizabeth and I have been able to figure out, the Wraith know about Atlantis – and are headed this way."

"What? How many?"

"All of them," Weir said, folding her hands on the table in front of her. "Apparently the patrol that Colonel Mitchell killed – the ones she stole the first darts from – were an advanced party, looking for feeding grounds along the way… the way _here_."

"Why are they coming here?" Teyla asked, feeling a slight tremor go through her at the thought of all the Wraith heading this direction. "Atlantis has a small population compared to other planets, and-"

"They know about Earth," Daniel interrupted. "Actually, what they know is that Atlantis is the key to finding an abundant feeding ground. We couldn't tell if they know Earth is that place, or if they're just hoping to catch someone here and force them to tell them…"

Mitchell scowled.

"How would they know about Earth? None of your people have been captured by them, have they?"

"Only Colonel Sumner," Weir said, softly.

"He wouldn't have said anything," Jack said.

"He might not have had to…" Weir replied, her eyes clearly showing that she understood Jack's pain at the loss of his friend and his denial that Sumner would have said anything to give away the people that he'd sworn to protect so long ago. "The Wraith can't exactly read minds, but they can get distorted images, or ideas… if they're in contact with a person long enough."

"That makes sense," Melony said, feeling just as sick as Jack looked. "Talon says that when a Wraith feeds, he or she actually blends with that person for a moment. I suppose that during that time they'd be able to pick something up from them."

Daniel nodded.

"Sam and Doctor McKay have been able to track their progress with one o the devices they found on the dart they've torn apart – I'll let her tell you more about that – but it's looking like we only have a matter of weeks or maybe a month before they get here…"

"They'll destroy Atlantis to try and get to Earth," Weir said.

"We'll destroy it if that's what it takes to keep them away," Jack told her, firmly. Mitchell nodded her agreement. "The Stargate here is the only one that goes to Earth in the entire system, right?"

"Yes," McKay said. "Because of the crystal that-"

Jack held up his hand to stop him.

"We can't allow them to take Atlantis, General," Carter said.

"No, we can't." Jack said. "Gather up your people, Doctor Weir, we're heading back to Earth."

"What?"

"Jack, _wait_."

"Daniel…" O'Neill looked across the table at the archeologist, and understood why he looked so stricken, but there wasn't anything he could do about that. "We can't defend Atlantis. It'd take an army, and we're… oh… _one army_ short of having an army here."

"But we can't just give them Atlantis. There's so much here that we haven't had a chance to see, to explore. We-"

"We're not going to _give_ them anything, Daniel. We're going to destroy it. And we'll take that crystal thing of McKay's with us to make sure it doesn't survive."

"But-"

"I'm not going to sacrifice Earth to save one city, Daniel."

"But-"

"There must be something we can do besides blow up Atlantis," McKay said, looking just as stricken at the thought of losing the city as Daniel had – and he'd had a lot more time to explore it.

"I'm willing to listen to ideas," Jack said, leaning back in his chair. "But the Wraith can't have Atlantis – _or_ that crystal thing."

"Well, obviously a head on battle is out of the question," Mitchell said, leaning back as well. "I don't know exactly how many of them there are, but there's a lot more of them than there are us."

She didn't really want to give up Atlantis, either, but she was in agreement with Jack. Better to lose one city than a whole planet. Especially when that planet was Earth.

"Maybe we could trick them into going somewhere besides here…" Daniel said. "Make them think a different planet is the feeding grounds that they've heard of."

"I'm not going to send them to some other planet filled with people that have no idea what's coming," Weir objected.

"A _deserted_ planet," Daniel said.

"Why would they want to go there?"

Daniel shrugged helplessly.

"Maybe if Melony and Teal'c somehow told them that there were more like them… on this deserted planet. The Wraith don't need to know it's deserted…" He was grasping at straws, now, and they all knew it.

"First of all," Jack said, scowling. "I'm not sure how we'd let the Wraith know that. And-"

"We could figure that out," McKay said, interrupting.

Jack's scowl deepened.

"Second of all, we don't have any more Teal'c's and Colonel Mitchell's. Just them. _One_ Teal'c, _one_ Mitchell."

"You're wrong," Daniel said, suddenly looking excited and sitting up straighter in his chair when a moment before he'd been slumped over in defeat. "There's a whole bunch of them. A huge _army_ of them! The Wraith are drawn to Melony and Teal'c because of their symbiotes. What about using the Jaffa?"

Now it was Melony's turn to scowl as the rest of the people in the room all turned to her, various expressions of surprise on their faces. None of them had even considered the Jaffa, but now that Daniel brought it up, it seemed that there must be some way to use Mitchell's army of warriors. Except Melony didn't look at all pleased that it had even been brought up.

"Absolutely not," she said, flatly.


	48. 48

Daniel wasn't the only one to stare at Melony, surprised by how quickly she'd said no, and how cold her voice had been.

"But… it's _perfect_…" he said. "The Jaffa would draw the Wraith to them like bees to honey, and-"

"You want me to get the Jaffa, bring them here, and put them on a deserted planet just so the Wraith can come looking for them?"

When she put it that way it sounded bad, and Daniel knew it. But he hadn't exactly meant it that way.

"Of course not. We just need a _plan_, that's all. A way to keep them from being hurt."

"No, Daniel."

"Colonel Mitchell…" Sam started, turning Melony's attention from Daniel to her. "He's right. If we had help from the Jaffa, we might actually have a chance to save Atlantis…"

"I don't care. I'm not going to use them as _bait_ for the Wraith. This isn't their fight."

Weir frowned.

"If the Wraith reach Earth, they're not going to stop there, Colonel. They'll continue wreaking havoc on our home system – and eventually, they'll find the Jaffa as well, and then it _will_ be their fight."

"Not if we destroy Atlantis and stop them from coming in the first place."

"Destroying Atlantis isn't an _option_," McKay said, loudly. "This place is too incredible to even _think_ of destroying – and I-"

"The Wraith reaching _Earth_ isn't an option," Jack interrupted. "Anything else goes."

"Not using the Jaffa," Mitchell repeated, stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest and leaning back in her chair.

"I don't understand," Teyla said into the silence that followed. "These Jaffa are like Teal'c here, correct?"

"Yes," Daniel said.

"So send Teal'c to ask them for help." Teyla gave Mitchell an apologetic look, but continued. "Would they not help one of their own before they listen to one who isn't?"

"I would never go behind Colonel Mitchell's back in such an instance," Teal'c said, shaking his head. While the big Jaffa knew that Melony wasn't the goddess that most of his people believed her to be, he did have nothing but respect for her – and he owed her just as much as the rest of his people did. He'd never do anything of the sort.

"Besides," Daniel said, gloomily, leaning back as well. "The Jaffa won't do what we tell them to – not even Teal'c. It'd have to come from Melony."

"These are the people who believe her to be their god?" Kale asked.

"Yes."

"Then she is right to protect them."

They all looked at Kale, who glanced over at Melony.

"Whether she is their god or not, they look upon her as such. If Melony went through so much effort to free them from their former masters, then she is responsible for them. As much as I would like to see the Wraith brought down, it would be wrong of her to risk her people in a manner so cavalier as to throw away their lives just because you are unwilling to sacrifice Atlantis."

"But what about the other people on other planets?" Teyla asked, heatedly. "Do they not deserve a chance to live as well? Do we not have a duty to them to try and protect them, also?"

They all knew she was talking about not only her own people, but also those that she had formed trading bonds with over the years. Or those they'd met along the way once she'd started going with the Atlanteans when they'd arrived.

Mitchell scowled.

"I haven't given up on defeating the Wraith, Teyla," she said, leaning forward. "I didn't say anything about going through the gate before we blew up Atlantis. I just said I'm not going to sacrifice the Jaffa."

"You're _not_ staying here," Jack said.

She looked over at him, and he knew that that was exactly what she'd do if they ended up blowing the city – and its Stargate.

"The Wraith are responsible for the death of Colonel Sumner. I'm going to make them pay for it." She hadn't forgotten her original promise, and she wasn't going to. Especially since Talon was in total agreement with her.

"But why not at least _ask_ the Jaffa if they'd be interested in helping?" Daniel asked.

"Because you haven't told me any kind of plan that would use them in any role besides hamburger."

"They're _warriors_, Melony," Daniel said, exasperated. "A whole race of people just like _Teal'c_! Do you know how much _good_ they could do here?"

"They're _people_, Daniel," she snapped. "And if I were to go ahead and just use them, mindless of the implications and the risks, then I'd be no better than the Goa'uld that we freed them from, now would I?"

He started to say something, but he stopped. She was right, and he knew it. And he also knew that she'd mentioned his role in freeing the Jaffa for a reason, because like Kale had said, that made Daniel just as responsible for them as Melony was. Well, maybe not _just_ as responsible, but close enough.

"What if we came up with something?" He said, looking at Jack for suggestions. "Something that wouldn't put them at any more risk than anyone else?"

Mitchell scowled, but leaned back once more, a little more relaxed.

"I'd consider it," she said. Then she added, "I'd consider bringing it up to them, anyways. I won't _force_ them to do anything. It'd be their decision in the end…"

_As it should be_, Talon agreed.

Yes.

Daniel looked slightly mollified, as did McKay – who was well aware what kind of advantage they'd have if they could convince Mitchell to bring in the Jaffa.

"So… we need some ideas, then," Jack said, looking over at Melony. He'd kept quiet during the discussion about the Jaffa because while he privately agreed with Melony, he also was very tempted to ask her to bring them out anyways, knowing full well that they would be a big help in his own desire to bring the Wraith down for killing Sumner, and unwilling to use his own influence on Melony when she was making her decision.

She shrugged, unsure if she even wanted to help come up with anything. As far as she was concerned, the Jaffa were doing fine where they were.

"It is true that the Wraith would be drawn to a planet if they believed that the planet was inhabited by people with life forces as strong as Colonel Mitchell's or Teal'c's," Teyla said.

"If we had a way to even let the Wraith know…" Sheppard said, shrugging.

"That wouldn't be a problem," Sam said, a little smugly. "We can talk to the Wraith any time we want to – and they won't know it's not one of their own."


	49. 49

"What do you mean?" Jack asked, curiously, thinking that she looked cute when she looked smug like that. Which made him scowl, because he knew where _that_ particular thought had come from, and while he didn't mind _thinking_ it, he'd almost been ready to say it – and that wasn't acceptable.

"One of the devices we found in that pile of things Colonel Mitchell left with us is a communications device," Sam said.

"Like a radio?" Sheppard asked.

"No," McKay said, shaking his head and acting as if it was the dumbest thing he'd ever heard. "We'd never be able to pass off our voices as Wraith – even if we had someone fluent enough to speak their language."

"This thing acts like a sort of telemetry," Sam interjected. "More like… a telegraph machine than anything else, I suppose – only with written language. Kind of like sending an email – only you can set it so that not only does _one_ hive ship get the message, but all of them do."

"All of them?" Melony asked.

"It makes sense if you think about it," Sam said. "They'd need to be able to communicate with each other – to keep from overlapping their feeding areas or overusing any particular area…"

"Gruesome thought," Jack said. "But it makes sense."

There was silence around the table for a moment as they thought about that.

"That's how we know that the Wraith are on their way here," Elizabeth said, breaking into the silence. "We managed to get into their system and read those messages…" The look on her face plainly told them all that they'd read other messages that weren't very appealing, either.

"Yes," Daniel said. "The hive ship that was originally woken early spread the word to the others as they started waking, telling them of new feeding grounds with unknown – but rich – resources. They're all going to eventually converge on us, here."

"Staggering their arrivals?" Sheppard asked.

"No. They'll arrive at the same time, figuring that the best way to get the information they need will be to overwhelm us with sheer number."

"The odds would be on their side that they'd manage to capture someone willing to talk – and worse, give away Earth's address…" Melony said.

Daniel nodded.

"That's what they're thinking, we're pretty sure."

"Well, that's not going to happen," Jack said. "Whether we come up with a plan of attack using the Jaffa or without the Jaffa, we're going to start evacuating non-essential personnel back to Earth."

"Do we have enough power to do that?" Sheppard asked. He knew they'd brought some crystal something or the others that were supposed to give them a lot more energy, but he didn't know how much, and he thought there might be better uses for whatever extra power they had.

Sam nodded when Jack looked over at her for the answer.

"We have plenty," she said. "The crystals Tao and the Jaffa found are more than enough to augment the naquida generators – and add to that the new power sources that the Light Ones have brought in…" she trailed off, shrugging. "We don't have enough to power the shields and beat back the attack that we know is coming, but we'll be able to put up a pretty good fight."

"We're not fighting here," Jack said. "There's no way I'm going to risk losing a battle that might leave Atlantis standing."

"Actually," McKay said. "It's not _standing_… it's floating. On the water." He added as Jack shot him a scathing look.

"So if we're going to do anything, we need to take the battle to the Wraith," Sam said. She agreed with O'Neill on that.

"They're not all traveling together," Daniel said. "They're traveling in groups – at least we're pretty sure they are."

"Kind of like Carrier groups, sir," Sam said. "Hive ships surrounded by all sorts of back up ships."

"Yes," Daniel agreed. "So if we want to get them all together – but not here at Atlantis – then we're right back to the need to lure them away from here with the promise of something even better than what they think they'll find here."

"A new, rich, feeding ground," Jack said.

"Exactly."

Melony scowled.

_If we got them all together, we could probably figure out a way to blow them all to hell_, Talon told her.

_Fuglier_ can't get through the gate, Melony said silently.

_There are other ways. We'd just have to think of them_

True.

_Bring it up, and see what they think_

"If we can lure them somewhere, we could probably use the crystals and the power sources Kale and the Light Ones found and do some serious damage to them – if not finish them completely…"

Everyone stared at her, and Mitchell scowled again.

"It worked once, why couldn't it work again?"

"You mean with the Goa'uld?" McKay asked, feeling a shiver run up his spine. He hadn't considered that, but she was right; if she had blown the Goa'uld up, there was no reason it couldn't work on the Wraith as well.

"Why not?" She asked, looking around the table.

"We don't have a ship to blow up," Daniel said. "Fuglier won't fit through the Stargate."

"Not to mention we don't have enough crystals to create anywhere near the explosion we'd need – if we even had a way to get the Wraith all together. Or a way to know if an explosion could get through their shields…" Sam said.

"And we don't have that shield dropping device," Daniel added.

"The device can be removed from Fuglier," Melony said, shrugging. "I've got to go back to get the rest of the crystals from Tao, anyways – since I imagine he wouldn't turn them to anyone else."

"No, he won't," Jack said. "You're going to Earth, then?"

She nodded.

"I'm going to have to. While I'm there, I'll pick up Fuglier to get me to Tao, and then take her to Melonyville and strip what I can off her."

"Want me to come?" Daniel asked.

She shook her head.

"You're needed here. I'd like to know more about the Wraith technology – what it can stand and what it can't – and you and Doctor Weir are the only two that read Wraith all that well. Colonel Carter and Doctor McKay will need help with their research."

"I'll come," Jack said.

Melony shook her head again.

"I'll go alone, Jack. You need to start evacuating people – and Doctor Weir is going to be too busy to do it herself. Which means you're going to have to do it for her. I'd also like you to start trying to come up with a way to get the Wraith where we want them. If all else fails, we can use Atlantis as the catalyst."

"But-" Daniel started to object, and Melony raised her hand to stop him. "Come up with a way to lure them away, and we won't have to, Daniel. But as far as I can see, the only thing that every Wraith wants is Atlantis. Which means it'd be perfect."

"If we had the _Jaffa_, we could lure them-"

"I'm not going to use the Jaffa, Daniel. I-"

"Just ask them, Melony," Daniel said, his expression pained. He understood where she was coming from, but he absolutely couldn't agree to blowing up Atlantis. Not if there was another way.

She crossed her arms over her chest again, and glared at him, while he met her gaze with his own pleading look, and finally she sighed.

"Fine. I'll bring it up. But I'm not making any promises – so don't count on them coming."

He smiled, relieved that she was willing to unbend just a little. It was more than he had really hoped for.

"Thank you."

"No promises…"

"I know."

Then, from beside her…

"Can I come with you?"

Everyone turned to Carson, who had spoken up, and then they glanced at Melony, waiting for her to come up with a reason that Beckett couldn't go, either. Jack had pretty much decided Melony wanted a chance to be alone for a while, to consider her options, and Daniel had just assumed she was tired of being responsible for others and would welcome the break. Surprising all of them, after only a moment's hesitation, Mitchell nodded.

"If you want to, yes."


	50. 50

"How come you're letting weenie boy go with you, but you're not letting Daniel?"

Melony sighed, closed her eyes and counted to ten. The meeting had broken up, and Mitchell had headed for her quarters for a cup of coffee – and to give them a little privacy when Jack inevitably came after her asking why she was letting Carson accompany her back. Sure enough, she hadn't even finished brewing the pot when there had been a knock her door, and she'd let him in, knowing he was just barely holding back his curiosity.

"Jack, I told you not to call him that."

"Well?"

O'Neill wasn't going to be sidetracked.

"Because _Daniel_ can't fly a Jumper."

"What?"

"I said, 'because _Daniel_ can't fly a Jumper'."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"You think I'm going to carry all that crap back in a sack slung over my shoulder?"

He scowled, and it was obvious to her that he hadn't considered that.

"Why don't _you_ take a Jumper?"

"Because I'm going to Earth to get _Fuglier_ – which I need – and I can't fly a Jumper and _Fuglier_."

"Where's weenie boy – I mean, _Beckett_, going?"

"He's going directly to Melonyville, where we will meet up. Then I can park _Fuglier_ in the hangar that we built her in, and I can strip what I need off her, and transfer it over to the Jumper, and fly back here. Daniel doesn't have the Ancient gene so he can't fly the ship – and he really _is_ needed here – and Carson does, although he's not the best pilot in the world. He's not needed here, so he can come, and it won't screw anything up here to have him gone for a week or two."

"You think you'll be gone that long?"

He outranked her, and they both knew it, but in an instance like this, as long as he understood the decisions she was making, there wasn't any reason for him to argue with her about what she was doing. And it was obvious that she'd thought it through – or Talon and she had, one or the other.

"It depends, Jack," she said, handing him a cup of coffee. "I'm not sure where the Jaffa stashed the rest of the crystals, so it might take them a while to get them for me, and I have to decide what exactly to pull off Fuglier – I'm going to try to strip her completely since we'll want to have all the technology we can get our hands on – especially since the Wraith haven't seen it before."

O'Neill took a sip of the coffee she gave him, and nodded.

"Another reason to take a Jumper."

"Yeah. You can send Carson through the gate to Melonyville a couple of days after I leave, and he can cloak and wait for me. It's deserted, but you never know."

At least he wouldn't have to worry about running into the Wraith – or even a Goa'uld. But you never really knew, and she wouldn't want him to be in sight on a planet all alone with no knowledge of any other gate addresses to escape through if it became necessary.

"And while you're gone, we'll start loading Jumpers with all the technology that Daniel and McKay can salvage from here – because if we can't come up with a way to lure the Wraith away from this city, I am going to blow it up – with as many of them on it as I can."

She nodded, because she agreed completely. It was something they'd never disagree on, no matter what else they grumbled about; Earth had to be protected.

"We can send the Jumpers to Melonyville, if you want. Once I get back with the crystals, we'll know better what kind of power resources we're going to have, so we'll know how many trips we can make – depending on what kind of plan we come up with."

"And you'll know whether the Jaffa are willing to help…"

She scowled, but since she'd already promised to bring it up with Tao, she nodded.

"Yeah. I'm not going to demand an answer right away, though. Tao is my First Prime, but even though the rest of the Jaffa will do what he says, it's not going to be his decision alone. I'll go back to Melonyville and let them meet about it without me looking over their collective shoulders and pressuring them.

"And it'll give you a little alone time with Beckett…" Jack said, slyly.

She nodded, without feeling at all self-conscience about it.

"I considered that, too, yes." She sat down on her bed, and sighed. "If we don't come up with a plan – a plan better than simply blowing up Atlantis – I'm going to stay on this side of the Stargate. And it'll be a while before I have a chance to spend any more time with him. Since the opportunity is there, I'm going to take it."

"I'm not going to let you stay here by yourself…"

She smiled.

"It's not going to be as bad as it sounds, Jack. I'll have all sorts of technology to work with, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to modify a Jumper's drive so I won't be stranded out here. Once we're done, I'll be able to get home – even without that crystal thing in the gate."

He shook his head.

"Don't you guys think you've saved the world enough times already?"

Melony echoed Talon's mental snort.

"How many times have you saved Earth from being destroyed by the Goa'uld, Jack?"

He scowled.

"I wasn't keeping track."

"Well, I was. We're still behind you." She drained her coffee cup, and stood up to get a refill. "Besides, this isn't about saving the world. Not Atlantis, or any of the other worlds around here, anyways. It's really not even about saving Earth – although of course we'll protect it by keeping the Wraith away."

"What's it about, then?"

"Revenge, Jack. Pure and simple revenge."

He nodded, and held out his cup, silently asking for more coffee as well. He could understand that.


	51. 51

The gate flared to life and Mitchell turned to those watching.

"I'll be back in a couple of weeks," she said to Jack. "No more than that. If you need me sooner, send word with Beckett when you send him through to Melonyville and I'll come running."

Jack nodded, and handed her the rucksack she'd loaded with the few supplies she was going to need – and files and reports outlining the situation in Atlantis to date. She'd give Hammond a short briefing when she reached the SGC, but that wasn't her primary mission and she wouldn't stay at the SGC any longer than it took to get Fuglier back on auto pilot and bring her down to the landing area near Cheyenne Mountain so Melony could get going.

"Have a safe trip," Jack said as she shouldered the rucksack.

"I will." She hesitated, looking at the others who were all a step or two back from them. Then, lowering her voice just a little, she said, "You know… whatever we come up with for the Wraith is bound to be dangerous…"

"Yeah."

"Maybe you should take advantage of what little time I'll be gone and have that conversation we were discussing…"

He looked like he was going to say something, and then hesitated, and then shrugged, but was careful not to look over his shoulder.

"I'll think about it."

Melony smiled.

"You do that, Jack. I'll see you in a bit."

"We'll get things ready here."

She knew he would. It wasn't like they knew exactly what they were going to do, but they'd sift through the Wraith technology and the Ancient technology and see if they could find anything else that might help them mount a defense when the Wraith came.

She nodded, and turned and headed through the gate.

A moment later it disengaged, and Jack looked at the others.

"Okay, people. We need to start deciding who stays and who goes, and we need to start getting things ready to be moved if it's going back to Earth."

They nodded, and Ford led a group containing several scientists and Grodin towards the supply rooms, where they'd start putting the things slated to go to Earth, while Sam, Weir, Daniel and McKay all headed for the labs. They were still hoping to find that one piece of technology that would save the day.

Jack turned his attention to Beckett, who had already said his goodbyes to Melony that morning and hadn't needed to crowd her as she was leaving.

"Lets get you set up, Doc," he said. Beckett would be bringing the food supplies to Melonyville, since Melony was going to head straight for the meeting with the Jaffa and wouldn't have time to stop and gather supplies herself. Carson nodded, and accompanied by Teal'c, he and Jack headed for another supply room.

OOOOOOOO

"Incoming traveler!"

Hammond looked down at the sergeant and then at the gate, which had flared to life behind the iris.

"Who is it?"

"It's coming through, now, sir…" the sergeant told him, looking at the screen of his computer and then pressing a couple of buttons. "It's SG-2's signal…"

"Colonel Mitchell?" Hammond asked, surprised.

"Yes, sir."

"Open the iris."

Hammond headed for the stairs as the iris swooshed open, feeling a wave of relief flood through him. Jack O'Neill was undoubtedly with Mitchell, and he'd be ready to take back the reins of the SGC – and Hammond could go back to his retirement. Not to mention that SG-2's code meant that O'Neill had found Mitchell – and presumably the Atlantis expedition – alive and well and would likely be sending some of them back as well.

He was surprised, therefore, and maybe a little dismayed, when only one figure emerged from the gate a few moments after he reached the bottom of the ramp, flanked by armed guards – just in case.

Mitchell stopped as soon as she came through the gate, standing at the top of the ramp and looking around as the gate disengaged – telling those present she was the only one coming. She smiled, when she saw Hammond waiting for her, and headed down the ramp towards him. The guards on either side of Hammond both recognized her as well, and immediately went into a less defensive posture, their expressions filled with relief and welcome.

"Colonel Mitchell," Hammond said, ignoring her salute and offering her his hand. "I'm very glad to see you're alive and well."

Melony's smile widened.

"Thank you, General Hammond, I am, too."

He laughed, and pulled her pack off her back.

"How's Talon?"

"A pain in the neck."

_I heard that_

Melony grinned, and reached for the rucksack before Hammond could hand it off to one of the guards.

"I need that, sir. _You_ do, actually…"

"Oh yeah?" He looked at it curiously, but didn't ask why. Instead, he asked the other question that was even more important – at least as far as he knew. "Where are General O'Neill and SG-1? And the people from the Atlantis expedition? Are they safe?"

She grimaced.

"They're alive, sir, and safe for the moment, but they ran into some serious problems… and we need to talk about it."

Since she had Talon it was very unlikely that she'd need to go to the infirmary and get checked out, but Hammond had one of the Marines go call Janet Fraiser into the briefing room. Not only because she could give Mitchell a quick once over to make sure things were as they should be, but also because Daniel had gone with O'Neill to Atlantis, and Janet Fraiser would want to know his condition and make sure he was okay. Hopefully Melony could reassure her on that score.

"What kind of problems, Colonel?" Hammond asked as they walked up the stairs towards the briefing room. "Did they find the city intact?"

"Yes, sir. And they've found quite a few interesting things there…" She trailed off as they entered the room, and Hammond gestured for her to take a seat.

"Hold on to that thought, Colonel," he said. "Let me get a few more people in here – and you'll probably want a cup of coffee, I'm guessing…"

She smiled, despite the seriousness of the situation. How well he knew her – even after so much time.

"Thank you, sir."


	52. 52

While she waited for the others to file into the room, Melony drank her coffee and pressed a few buttons on the oversized watch she was wearing on her left wrist. Checking the time and finding that it was mid morning on Earth, she asked Hammond to make sure that no one was in the field to the north of the Cheyenne Mountain complex, and the general sent a Marine off to make sure, already sure that he knew why she needed it cleared. Then she sent a message to the Jaffa – Tao, in particular – telling him where she'd be and requesting that he join her at his best possible time.

As Mitchell started the briefing, far above them in orbit a small craft was coming to life after several months of simply floating dead in the emptiness and loneliness of space. Lights on the control panel in the main cockpit area flickered and steadied as power was started moving through the electrical systems once more, and the onboard computer powered up as well, running a self-diagnostic before it allowed the rest of the ship's functions to activate.

While Melony was telling a stunned audience about the Wraith, _Fuglier's_ navigational systems were engaging, already computing the best entrance into Earth's atmosphere to make a landing in the field that had been inputed as the final destination. The cloaking device engaged, and the ship was ready. It sent a signal along its main comlink, telling Mitchell just that, and while Hammond was asking what plans they'd already made to combat this new menace, Melony was telling the little ship to come on in for a landing.

"Obviously our first order of business is to protect Earth," she told Hammond. "Which means we don't let the Wraith anywhere near the Atlantis Stargate. That means we're either going to blow the city, or we're going to lure them away from the city. We haven't decided yet, and probably won't know for a couple of more weeks."

"Blow the city?" Janet asked, looking pale. "With everyone on it?"

She shook her head.

"Of course not. Jack's already starting to sort people who'll be evacuating – nonessential personnel," she added, letting Janet know as gently as possible that Daniel won't going to be one of those coming back right away. "They're not going to waste any more power than they have to, so chances are you won't hear from them until they're actually ready to send the people through."

"There's nothing we can do to help?" Hammond asked.

She shook her head.

"More people aren't going to help – in fact, if we sent more people over, it'd be a hindrance. From here, I'm going to go visit the Jaffa, and get the rest of the crystals from them – that should be a big help – and then head to Melonyville and see what technology we have there that might be able to come into play the next few weeks."

"Are you going to try and instigate a similar ploy to the one you used to defeat the Goa'uld?" A man sitting to the right asked. Colonel Thomas was someone Mitchell knew, although not that well. He'd been brought to the SGC after she'd blended with Talon and she'd only had limited contact with him. He was bright, though, and had asked a good question.

"We're going to try, I think," she said. "If we don't come up with something even better." She hesitated, and added, "It's been suggested that we use the Jaffa to try and lure the Wraith from Atlantis. Because they feed off the life force of individuals, they are strongly attracted towards those who possess symbiotes – as Teal'c and I have both discovered."

There were murmurs around the room at this, and most of them were hopeful. Mitchell was quick to temporize that hope.

"I haven't decided that it's the best plan, and I'm certainly not going to use the Jaffa only to sacrifice them. If we come up with a plan that gives them an escape, and the Jaffa are willing, we might use them, otherwise we'll just blow Atlantis and cut our losses in the Pegasus system."

"Didn't you say you've found several new races there?" Another person asked.

She nodded.

"Many, yes."

"You're willing to leave them all to the Wraith?"

Mitchell scowled, and leaned forward.

"If it's a question of saving Earth or saving these people, then yes, I'll blow Atlantis to hell and not think twice about it. Talon and I will not leave the Pegasus system, though. We're going to see this through, even if it means striking at the Wraith one hive ship at a time."

"Why don't you do that?" Asked Hammond. "Just go after them one at a time, before they reach Atlantis?"

"Because we don't have the time," she said. "Besides, _Fuglier_ can't fit through the Stargate – although the Ancients had ships that can and so do the Wraith. _Fuglier_ is the only ship I know of with the capabilities to knock down shields and destroy the craft – and I'm not positive it'll even work with the Wraith ships. When I'm done talking to the Jaffa, I'm going to see about converting one of the Jumpers – that's what we're calling the Ancient's ships – into a smaller version of _Fuglier_, but I don't know that I'll have the time – and I'm not sure the Ancient technology will mesh with Talon's. So we can't take the time. The best chance will be to strike at the Wraith when they're all in one place – and it looks like that place is going to be Atlantis…"

"Unless you lure them away…" Hammond said.

She nodded.

"The reason they're heading to Atlantis is because they know there's a connection with Atlantis and a new endless feeding ground. They don't know it's earth. They just know that we know where it is. If we figure out a way to lure them to another place, then that's what we'll do – because several people have made an issue about blowing up Atlantis."

"What about this shield you told us about?" Fraiser asked. "Can't you repower that now that you have those crystals?"

Mitchell nodded.

"We could, but even the Ancients couldn't beat back the Wraith – which is why they had to sink Atlantis. We're not sure that the crystals would make enough difference in the shielding – and really all that'd do is buy us a little more time."

"So they'd probably eventually get through the shielding…?"

"Maybe," Melony agreed. "But if we put the shield up around Atlantis, we'd be trapped there. Especially since the Wraith apparently dial in a gate and hold it open to keep people from escaping While they're attacking a planet."

"They sure sound like a nasty bunch…"

"Yeah."

Hammond sighed.

"Is there anything you need from us?"

She shook her head.

"Just be ready for the incoming travelers, sir. And refugees from the other races if they decide to come with them."

"We'll do that," Hammond assured her. "When are you leaving?"

"I need to get a few uniforms from supply, and then I'll be ready to go. _Fuglier_ is already on her way here – she'll be landing in that field in about twenty minutes."

"You go get what you need," Hammond said. "And I'll walk you out."


	53. 53

Twenty minutes later, Melony was standing in an almost empty field with Hammond beside her. _Fuglier's_ cloaking device was off now that she was landed, and Mitchell was about ready to go. But Hammond wasn't completely finished with her.

"You are going to be back, right?"

She nodded.

"Eventually, yes."

"Not before you head back to Atlantis, though?"

"No. I'll go there from Melonyville."

"And after that?"

"I'll be back, General Hammond," she told him, feeling warm and fuzzy inside at hi obvious concern. "It just might take a while."

Hammond nodded and handed her the pack he'd been carrying. While Melony's pack was filled with changes of clothing, and extra ammunition for her Beretta, the one he gave her had more important things.

"There's some lunch in there – and _dinner_ if you stretch it out," He told her. "Fresh coffee, of course, and soup in a thermos, too, so you don't have to survive on MREs until you absolutely have to."

"Thank you, sir."

He gave her a smile, and stepped back, knowing she had a ways to go and needed to get going.

"Keep in touch, Colonel. That's an order."

Melony smiled and nodded.

"Yes, sir."

"And tell Jack that he'd better get back here and take his desk back before I go insane."

Her smile widened.

"I'll do that."

The hatch on the ship opened and Melony went through, not being one for long farewells.

A minute later the little ship was powering up once more, and then the cloaking device engaged and Hammond heard rather than saw it take off. He sighed, and headed back to the base, where he'd start getting things ready, just in case they had an influx of refugees like Mitchell had warned might happen.

OOOOOOOOOO

_I missed this little ship_

"Me, too."

She was sitting at the helm of _Fuglier_, already with nothing to do now that the little ship's hyper drive was engaged. Fuglier had the fastest drive known – and was the _only_ ship to carry it – but it would still take them a full day and a half to get to the planet that she'd messaged Tao to meet her on. During that time, she and Talon would discuss what they'd tell the Jaffa – since they'd promised that they would bring up the issue of the Wraith with them – and they'd start working out which pieces of _Fuglier_ they could strip to take back to Atlantis with them and what would have to be left behind because they wouldn't have time to integrate it into the technology of the Jumper that they'd use. Plans had to be made, but they couldn't really be made with just the two of them this time. Not when there were so many other people involved. Mitchell just wanted to make sure that the Jaffa weren't going to be involved as well. _That_ race of people had already been through enough as far as she was concerned.

OOOOOOOOOO

Colonel Samantha Carter was tired. Not so unusual, really, because she'd had very little sleep in the last couple of weeks – something that she was normally used to, although eventually it had to catch up to her. Like it was doing now. Normally, however, she had Teal'c or Daniel – or even Jack to watch over her and nag her about getting sleep. But it had been different this time. Jack and Teal'c had gone off with Colonel Mitchell to hunt for Wraith, and Daniel had been so preoccupied with the Wraith language that he hadn't been sleeping all that much himself lately. She had been free to work through the night several nights with only breaks to grab a quick bite to eat, or snatch a half hour of sleep when her tired eyes refused to focus any longer.

When O'Neill and Mitchell and the others had returned, Carter had assumed that they were too tired to notice how tired those around them had been. Mitchell's group was dirty and ragged, and had immediately headed for showers and food, telling her that they, too, hadn't been taking care of themselves properly.

Then there had been the briefings and the grumbling about using the Jaffa – and Mitchell's adamant refusal to even ask – which Sam was pretty sure she agreed with, even if it did mean losing Atlantis. Then Mitchell had left to head back to Earth, and everyone had been once more thrown into a flurry of preparations, trying to find that ultimate advantage while at the same time trying to anticipate what the Wraith would do. And Carter hadn't slept any more the next two days than she had the last two weeks. And she didn't figure anyone had even noticed.

She was wrong, though.

Opening the door to her quarters to grab a quick nap the night after Colonel Mitchell left for Earth, Sam was brought up short. Sitting in a chair that had been positioned in the corner of her room was General O'Neill, looking for all the world as if he'd been there for hours – although she knew it couldn't have been anywhere near that long, since he'd been in the conference room with Teal'c and Weir only minutes ago. Beside him, sitting on her bed, was a tray that held a steaming plate of food and a pot of coffee.

Sam hesitated, confusion and worry warring with each other for a moment.

"Sir…"

"Carter."

He was appearing to enjoy her confusion, because he didn't say anything else.

"Um…" she looked around to see if maybe there was a surprise party or something going on that she didn't know about, but there was no one else in the room. "You're in the wrong rooms, sir…"

He gave her a slight smile, one that warmed her heart and made her belly flip-flop.

"No I'm not, Sam."

The warmth in his voice turned her insides to goo, but Sam could also hear a lot of uncertainty in his voice, too, and knew that he wasn't quite as sure of himself as he was trying to appear. Which made her feel awkward, because she wasn't sure what was going on.

"Sir?"

He stood up, and walked over to her, and she felt her heartbeat quicken at the look in his eyes. Eyes she could so easily fall into and never emerge from.

Jack smiled at Sam, and reached out, taking her hand and guiding her over to the chair he'd just vacated. There was no way he was going to be able to sit her on the bed and be able to concentrate on anything – and it was extremely important that he be able to concentrate just then.

"We need to have a talk, Colonel," he told her. "So sit down, would you?"


	54. 54

"About what, sir?" Sam asked as she sat down in the chair he'd gestured towards.

"A few things," Jack told her, pacing in front of her nervously. "First off… the Wraith technology."

She watched him pace.

"What about it?"

"If we take it through the Stargate to earth, do you think it would draw the Wraith to us?"

"You mean would they be able to track it?"

He nodded.

Sam thought about it, but then shook her head.

"I doubt it, sir. Even if there were tracking devices on the items we've managed to obtain – including the darts – I don't see how they could track them from such a distance. Colonel Mitchell _does_ have a tracking device on _Fuglier_, from what I've been told, and I'm positive she'd never be able to get a lock on the ship from this far away – or even if she were closer, like at the edge of this system…"

"It's too far?"

"I'm positive it is."

"Good."

"You were thinking of leaving it behind?"

Jack nodded.

"I don't want anything that will lead the Wraith to earth – and that includes their own stuff – no matter how much McKay wants to study it."

"It's very interesting technology, sir. Advanced, for the most part, but-"

He held up his hand to stop her, not caring at all what the technology was, and Sam fell silent with a slight smile. He interrupted her way too often for her to be hurt by it.

"It's safe to take home?"

She nodded.

"I think so, and McKay agrees."

Of course, Jack knew McKay might just lie in order to be allowed to take the stuff back to Earth. Sam, on the other hand, would be thinking of Earth first, and the technology gained second. Which was why he'd asked _Sam_ and not McKay.

"Good."

He hesitated, and she knew he had more on his mind. Judging from the expression on his face, it was probably something she wouldn't like. She figured it was better to know what it was then to watch him struggle with the words.

"Was there more, sir?"

Jack scowled, knowing full well she was reading his expression better than he'd wanted her to.

"Whatever plan we come up with here for the Wraith is likely to be dangerous…"

She nodded, giving him a slight smile.

"I have yet to see us ever come up with a _safe_ plan…"

"It'd be a blow for Earth to lose one of the few people that might be able to make something out of the Wraith and Ancient technology once we sent it back to Earth during this coming battle…"

Now it was Sam's turn to frown, because she knew immediately what – and who – he was talking about.

"I'm not going through the Stargate with the technology and leaving you and the others to fight the Wraith without me."

"Sam…"

"_No_. There are plenty of people on Earth who can figure that stuff out – just as well as I can – and I know you don't have a lot of people here that can-"

"I think it would be better-"

"I'm not going to run away from this fight."

"It's not _running_. It's-"

"I'm _not_ going to-"

"I don't want to lose you."

She stopped in mid protest, not so much surprised by the words he'd just said, but by the anguish in his voice. His eyes were worried, and his entire body was tense.

"What?"

Jack hesitated, looking into her incredible blue eyes. Intelligent and beautiful and the window to one of the most wonderful souls he'd ever had the fortune of coming across.

"I don't want to lose you, Sam," he said, again, kneeling down in front of the chair she was sitting on so he wasn't looking down at her, and was instead face to face. "I _can't_ lose you. You mean too much to me."

She was literally stunned into silence, her belly tightening up one second and her heart ready to explode with happiness at the final admission the next.

"I…"

"I know I just threw you for a loop," he told her. It was easy to see in her expression, after all. "But I needed to say it. Col- a friend of mine told me once – a long time ago – that I was crazy for waiting to tell you that, but…" he shrugged. "I've never been all that great with words." Or emotions, for that matter. He reached out and put his hand on her knee, his gaze locked with hers. "This could get really messy, Sam… the Wraith are worse than any Goa'uld, and I… if something happens… I don't want there to be any regrets for things left unsaid."

She looked down at the hand on her knee, and covered it with her own, but Jack wasn't finished speaking. Now that he was started, he wanted to get it out of his system before he chickened out.

"I love you."

She smiled, and swallowed an unexpected lump in her throat. The hand that was covering his own squeezed his hand tightly, and watched her, waiting for the words he'd hoped she'd say next.

"I love you, too, Jack…"

It was said in a slightly awed whisper – as if she couldn't exactly believe she was saying it – but it was plain as day. He smiled and leaned forward, hesitating only for a moment. She tilted her head slightly in silent invitation, and he captured her lips with his own.

It was a gentle kiss, and over far too soon, but Sam had an unsettling thought flitter across her mind as they broke apart, and he noticed the difference in her expression immediately. Of course, he was three inches away from her, so it was impossible to miss.

"What is it?" He asked her softly.

"I don't know if you're aware of this…" she said, hesitantly. "But the Light Ones release large amounts of pheromones… which effect those humans around them. You've been with Kale for-"

"Sam…" He put his finger tenderly against her lips, silencing her. "I know all about them. But I loved you long before we came here – and well before we started hanging out with the naked aliens."

She smiled, assured by the sincerity in both his expression and his voice, and this time it was Sam who leaned forward, instigating a kiss. And this one was much longer, deeper, and demanding and only ended when both of them were breathless.

They broke apart, and he gave her a warm smile.

"I brought you dinner…"

She nodded, not even looking at the tray on the bed nearby.

"I saw."

"Soup is just as good cold, you know…"

Her smile grew, and she stood up, pulling him to his feet as well.

"I love cold soup."


	55. 55

It took _Fuglier_ two days at full speed to reach the world that the Jaffa had claimed as their new home world once the Goa'uld had been defeated. A world that had been deserted, but only by the whim of one of the now dead and unlamented system lords. He'd slaughtered all the people living there in retribution for an insult given him accidentally, and had wallowed in the killings. Now, however, it was a world filled with free Jaffa – and several other races as well, all come together under the protection of the warrior race and Mitchell's First Prime, Tao, who was, like Teal'c, a prime example of just why the Jaffa had been the race chosen to be the instruments of the Goa'uld.

Hulking and fierce looking, Tao was a warrior born and bred. Even more, he was intelligent and wise, and with the edicts of his new goddess – one he had come to love and respect more than fear – he guided her Jaffa into the new era with enthusiasm and dedication. The new rules were far more acceptable to the Jaffa – _and_ Tao – than the old way had been, for there was far more honor in defending and nurturing than there could ever be in plundering and pillaging. And the Jaffa thrived, knowing that they would never have to fight against their own kind again.

The First Prime himself was standing at the landing area when Fuglier approached. He was flanked by several others, all having heard that Talon was arriving and eager to see her again. When the ship landed and Mitchell stepped off the ramp, Tao was once more amazed by how charismatic and exciting the small human female could be. Even without the Goa'uld within her speaking, Tao had found himself engaged by the host, and his smile of welcome was as much for Melony as it was for his goddess.

He bowed low and saluted her with his hand across his chest, and the Jaffa behind him echoed the stance, with even more awe in their expressions. And it took a lot to awe a Jaffa.

"My lady…" Tao said, his deep voice gravelly. "I am pleased to see you and your host are well."

As far as Tao was concerned, the Goa'uld inside the host was female, because the host was female – as it usually was accepted. Talon, on the other hand, usually referred to himself as a he – and Melony always referred to him as he – except with the Jaffa. It was just as easy for them to be dually female around the Jaffa.

"It's good to see you again, Tao," Talon said, taking over Melony's body and returning his salute – but not his bow. "The city looks to be thriving…"

Tao nodded, his expression proud – as he had every right to feel.

"It is, my lady. There are several hundred humans living here, now, and they have proven themselves to be most helpful to the Jaffa."

_They would_, Talon observed for Melony alone. _The Jaffa don't know much about farming and raising herds, and the humans will help them learn_

Which had been the whole idea, really. In order to be completely self sufficient, the Jaffa needed to learn how to do those more mundane chores that the Goa'uld had never required of them. Now that they were free, they were learning, and most of them were actually enjoying the simpler life – although Tao was careful to make sure they all kept up their weapons training as well. It was a good way to keep them in shape, and it was an even better way to get rid of a lot of extra energy.

Besides, the Goa'uld hadn't been the only dangers in the universe.

"I'm glad to hear that, Tao," Talon said. "Did you bring the crystals?"

The First Prime nodded.

"There are several hundred. All waiting for you."

She felt Talon's excitement, but managed to suppress her own glee. With that many crystals, they could wreak some serious havoc on the Wraith.

"Excellent." She was reluctantly reminded of her promise to the others. Her promise that she'd bring up the subject of the Wraith with her Jaffa. Melony gave a purely mental sigh and spoke again, before Tao could say anything.

"The Tau'ri have come across a new danger…" Talon said. "We will need every crystal we can get our hands on to combat it."

The word combat drew the full attention of all the Jaffa, and for obvious reasons.

"A new danger?" Tao asked. A not-so-subtle plea to hear more of this danger. Not just because he was curious, but because any new danger – even somewhere else – could prove to be a danger for the Jaffa's fledgling free cities, not just on the planet they were on, but the ones that had been settled elsewhere.

Mitchell nodded.

"A new race of… creatures… has been discovered. And they are truly a threat." She looked around at those standing near by and knew they all wanted to hear more. "Come. Show me to a place we can sit and talk, and I will tell you what I know of them."

Which didn't mean she was going to allow them to have anything to do with them, she told herself as Tao nodded and led her and the rest of the Jaffa towards one of the largest buildings – while runners were sent for the other commanders, so the story would only have to be told once.

OOOOOOOO

"These Wraith seem to be as evil a race as I have ever heard mentioned," Tao said more than an hour later.

"They are as bad as any I have had contact with," Talon agreed.

The Jaffa had all listened as Talon had told them of the events in the Pegasus system. At first they'd hesitated, because as Talon had once believed himself, the Goa'uld and the Jaffa had all assumed that the Wraith were the myth they all believed them to be. None had ever actually seen one before, and although there had been stories about them, the stories themselves had been so old and faded into the memories of time that even the stories had nearly become myths as well.

"Do you believe the Tau'ri will be able to hold the Wraith in the system they are in, now?" One of the other Jaffa asked. This one was nearly as big as Tao, and just as fierce a warrior – although not quite so competent.

"They're going to do everything they can…"

"Will it be enough?"

The Jaffa were worried about the Wraith coming, Melony decided. And with good reason. They had children, too, and wives and parents they loved. The Wraith were as much a danger to their families as they were to any. More so since they were drawn to the Jaffa who carried symbiotes – something Mitchell hadn't figured out a way to fix, yet.

She shrugged.

"They have yet to come up with a plan that we feel can completely defeat the Wraith, but they are going to do whatever it takes to limit them to the Pegasus system."

"Limit them? That's the best they can do?" Tao asked, scornfully. "Why not destroy them completely, like the Goa'uld were?"

She frowned, knowing that Tao had given her the opening she would have yearned for if she'd actually wanted the Jaffa to come to the aid of the Atlanteans.

_You gave your word…_

I know.

A two-day trip with nothing to do but think had allowed Mitchell and Talon to come up with several ideas for absolutely destroying the Wraith. Unfortunately most of them had relied on the use of the Jaffa, and not very many of them had come out with any scenario that left those Jaffa alive and well.

"The best way to do something like that would be to draw all the Wraith to one place," she said, reluctantly. "And the best way to draw them there… would be with a contingent of Jaffa…"


	56. 56

Tao turned to her.

"How so?"

"The Wraith are heading to Atlantis because they believe that Atlantis is the key to reaching a plentiful new feeding ground. Which it is, of course, since it would lead them not only to Earth but the rest of the planets as well, eventually. They don't actually know what they're looking for, though. Only that what it is is a feeding ground. If we led them to believe that this new world was a world completely composed of Jaffa, they'd be all over it."

"Like moths to a flame," Tao said, speculatively.

Mitchell nodded.

"The only problem, of course, is how to evacuate the Jaffa that made up the inhabitants of this new world before the Wraith became a danger to them. Or before we blew them to pieces."

"That could be solved…" Tao said.

There were several other nods from the Jaffa arranged around them, and Mitchell frowned. They were far too willing to go through with the plan – especially since there really wasn't even all that much of a plan yet.

_They're fighters, Hot Shot,_ Talon told her. _What should we have expected? We told them when we beat the Goa'uld that their new mission in life was going to be to protect those who are weaker, and defend said people from those who would destroy them, and here we just outline just that when we told them about the Wraith_

It was obvious that Talon had just realized that as well, but he was quicker to come to that conclusion than Melony. Of course, he was a lot older than she was, too, and far better at understanding those around them.

She scowled.

"The last thing I want is to put you and your people in jeopardy, Tao…" She said. "You've been used far too long in the past, and it's time you had a chance to be free…"

The First Prime smiled.

"We are free, my lady. But we owe that to you. And if your host's people are in trouble, then we owe it to her to at least try and help. After all, she helped free us as well. It is only right that we come to the aid of her people."

"Not to mention the Wraith are a menace to all," added another Jaffa, a little less forcefully since he wasn't quite as used to talking one on one with his goddess. "If they get past the Tau'ri, then they will eventually have to be dealt with by us, anyways. Better to fight them as far from our worlds and families as we can."

There were nods of agreement.

_They're right_

She sighed.

I know.

Which didn't mean she had to like it.

"How many Jaffa would it take to make the Wraith believe they were inhabiting an entire planet?" Asked Tao, obviously starting to consider logistics.

"Probably several hundred," Mitchell answered.

"Would that many of us fit in Atlantis?"

They'd have to use Atlantis as a staging ground, of course. Mitchell nodded.

"Yes. But I'm not quite ready to agree with this just yet. I need to think about it, and try to come up with a way to make sure you all come home again…"

Not to mention she needed to talk to Jack and Weir – and that couldn't be done quite so simply.

_Of course it can_, Talon told her. _You have several hundred of those crystals at your disposal. We'll gate to Melonyville, meet up with Beckett, and open a gate to Atlantis using a crystal and a power supply from the lab there. That way we can discuss it with O'Neill and still have time to make plans and bring however many Jaffa through the gate that we decide we need_

"It is _your_ decision, of course," Tao said, deferentially to Mitchell. "But how can we be truly free if you do not allow us the chance to do as we desire?"

Zing.

She winced, knowing he was right.

_We'd be able to use them_, Talon said. _Even if it's just to help defend Atlantis while we're evacuating_

She knew he wanted to try to save Atlantis, though, if they could. Talon was, after all, as much of a scientist as McKay and Carter, and as curious as Daniel Jackson – if not more. He'd love to have a chance to go through the technology of the Ancients at leisure and explore more of the city. Of course, he also was willing to blow it to hell to keep the Wraith from having it – something most of the scientists couldn't have even brought themselves to think about doing. That was the nature of his blending with Melony, who honestly couldn't care less about Atlantis. She just wanted her people to be safe. And those people included the Jaffa.

"Find me three hundred Jaffa, Tao," Mitchell said, finally. "Not just from this one planet, though. I won't leave this place defenseless by taking all the warriors from one place. Bachelors, by preference, in case we are gone for some time, and none with small children."

It was the only way she could appease her conscience.

"Gather them here with all the weapons they can carry and enough supplies to last them several weeks," she told her First Prime, knowing that logistics were something he didn't need her help with once he'd been told what she wanted. "I don't want to move anyone until I'm sure where they're going to go, so I'll get in touch with the people in Atlantis, and see what they say before we do anything else."

Tao nodded, and gestured towards a couple of the other Jaffa. They immediately rose to their feet with a respectful bow towards first Mitchell and then Tao, and then they hurried out of the room, obviously already heading off to send word to the other Jaffa worlds.

"As soon as I know for sure that the Atlanteans are willing, I'll take you with me, Tao, and we'll make plans. That way everything is in place long before we move the first Jaffa into place."

"Yes, my lady."

His voice was smug and filled with barely suppressed excitement, and she couldn't help but smile just a little, despite the danger she was going to be putting him – and the rest of them in. Tao was already tired of not fighting some fierce foe and was looking forward to action.

_Some people are just not cut out to be farmers_, Talon noted.

Indeed.


	57. 57

Alarms blaring through the command room interrupted what had been a fairly heated debate between Jack O'Neill and Elizabeth Weir. Weir had been discussing bringing in as many refugees as they could to send back to Earth, while Jack had been telling her they didn't have enough supplies to hold them all over while they waited and that it would be a better idea for them to hold off on actually bringing the refugees into Atlantis until the last possible minute. Not that he didn't want to save as many people as they could, but they had to think about how hard it would be to keep track of all those people while at the same time try to get their own people and supplies together to send back to Earth as well. Add in the growing pile of technology that Grodin and the other techs were gathering to bring back to the SGC for study in the event that they ended up lowing Atlantis, and it was a lot more than just the small contingent of Marines could keep track of.

Weir bit off a sharp retort at the sound of the first alarm, and looked over at the technician who had been manning the dialing computer. He was already pressing buttons on the laptop that the Ancient's computers had been connected to, and he looked up before she could even ask.

"We're getting a signal…"

"Who?" Jack asked.

"SG-2."

"Melony?" He frowned. She wasn't supposed to be coming back to Atlantis just yet. They had intended to send Beckett to Melonyville the next morning, and then they would expect her to return in the Jumper a week after that – more or less. "Something must have happened."

"Lower the shield," Weir ordered.

A moment later the shield came down, and only a minute after that a rock came sailing through the gate – almost beaning Daniel, who had come running to see what was going on.

"Hey!"

Jack moved to pick up the rock, while Daniel and the others waited to see who was going to come through the gate. A second later, though, it shut down.

"What's it say?" Daniel asked, looking over at Jack. He had seen that particular method of sending a message before, and knew it was Melony who had sent it.

Jack frowned.

"She wants us to go with Beckett to meet her on Melonyville…"

"Us who?"

"Carter, Daniel, Weir, Sheppard, Teal'c… McKay…" Jack said, reading. "It's quite a list…"

"I wonder why?"

"So we all know what's going on, I'd guess…"

Daniel frowned.

"I meant, I wonder why the _change in plans_…?"

"Something must have come up to change things, and she probably wanted to meet with us before she started ripping apart her hidden lab on Melonyville," Jack said, shrugging.

"When do we go?"

Jack looked at the note again.

"She says she's already there, and to feel free to use as much power as we need to get there…"

"Meaning she got more of those crystals from the Jaffa."

"Like that was ever in doubt."

Weir interrupted.

"We're going _where_?"

"Melonyville," Daniel said. "It's a small planet in the middle of the Rubon-"

"Daniel." Jack didn't feel like getting into exacts just then. He turned to Weir. "It's the base that Melony and Talon launched their fight with the Goa'uld from. And it's filled with some of the nastiest weapons you've ever seen."

Which just made Jack like it that much better. It was his kind of place.

"I see."

O'Neill turned to Daniel, handing him the note.

"Go round up these folks and tell them to meet in the Jumper bay in an hour. Supplies for a couple of days-"

"Do you really think we can afford to be gone that long?" Weir interrupted.

"We probably won't be," Jack said, scowling at the interruption. "But it's better to be safe when it comes to that place. There's not a lot of things growing there. Move Daniel."

The archeologist nodded, looking at the note and making a mental list of where each of the people in question probably was that time of day even as he headed for the door.

"What do you think happened?" Weir asked, curiously.

Jack shrugged.

"If I had to make a guess, I'd say she learned something from the Jaffa – or maybe found something that might help and wasn't sure if she should bring it. There's only one way to find out…"

OOOOOOOOO

"What?"

"I said, we're all going to meet up with Colonel Mitchell with you," Daniel said, patiently. He was talking to the last person on the list in his hand, and the person he was pretty sure Melony had wanted _most_ to include – although there probably hadn't been any real tactical reason to. Carson Beckett had been intending to meet up with Melony alone – and it was obvious to Daniel that he'd been looking forward to the chance to spend a little time with her. It was just as obvious that he was disappointed that so many more people were going to be coming along. Daniel would have felt the same way if it had been him and Janet, after all.

"Why?"

"Because _that's_ what the note says," Daniel answered, shrugging. He didn't have any more information than that. "But it must be important, or she'd never had changed plans like this…"

Carson frowned, but he knew that what Daniel was saying was the truth. Whether he liked it or not.

"Is she okay?"

"She must be. She sent the note."

Carson sighed, trying to hide his disappointment. So much for some time alone.

"When do we go?"

"In about half an hour."

"I'll be ready."


	58. 58

She was leaning against _Fuglier_ waiting for them when the gate engaged only an hour and a half after she'd sent the message. Since Melonyville didn't have a shield of any sort on the Stargate, she wanted to be close by – just in case it wasn't Jack and the others. Of course, no one else had ever visited Melonyville, but she was well aware that there was always a first time. Which was why she was holding a P90 in her hand and was within the protection of Fuglier's force field. No one could harm her there, and she could pick any intruders off one after another as they emerged.

An instant later, she relaxed completely once more. The first Jumper emerged, followed almost immediately by another. Which was perfect, since Melony hadn't actually told them to bring more than one ship but had hoped they would. She'd want the extra storage room for carrying back as much technology from her and Talon's lab as she could. Once she knew what they were going to do, any ways.

She walked away from Fuglier, heading for the area the Jumpers were landing in and watched as the ramps lowered. A moment later they were all exiting the ships, and Mitchell greeted them with nods, gesturing to a place where they could sit and talk. It wasn't much – most of the planet was rock and dirt, after all – but there were rocks to sit on and a pavilion that she'd set up to keep the sun out of their eyes while they discussed things. It would have been better to talk in the lab, but Daniel was the only one who was 'introduced' to the force field protecting the lab, and she didn't want to take the time to get the others in.

She smiled when she saw Carson in the group, even though he didn't look quite so happy to have so many people with him.

_He was probably expecting to have you alone for a while_

I know.

It would have been nice, but there was more at stake than just a couple of days of alone time with him, and she knew it. And knew that he would know it, too, if he stopped to consider it. Of course, _she'd_ had time to think it through, and he'd probably had the change of plans just sprung on him the last hour or so, so that was the difference.

_It looks like someone might have had a talk…_

Talon had been looking at Jack and Carter while Melony had been distracted with thinking about Carson, and she turned her attention to O'Neill – although she'd already been looking that way. It wasn't blatant – unless you knew the two of them – but Talon was right. Jack was walking just a little closer to Sam Carter than he normally did, and Mitchell saw his hand brush lightly against the small of her back when he gestured for her to take the rock beside the one he was going to sit on.

That would never have happened coincidentally. Ever.

Melony smiled, and Jack just happened to look over at her at that moment. He scowled, but she saw his ears redden just a little – and knew it had nothing to do with the sun that was shining.

Talon gave a purely mental snicker, which made it incredibly difficult for Melony to keep a straight face as she walked over to the 'front' of the group, and waited for them to get settled.

"What's up?" Jack asked with his typical bluntness. Obviously more than willing to keep her from commenting on what she'd already figured out – and he _knew_ what she'd already figured out. "Change of plans?"

She nodded.

"The Jaffa are going to help."

There were several relieved smiles – mainly from the scientists – and Mitchell scowled.

"That doesn't mean anything has changed," she warned them. "In all likelihood, we're still going to have to blow the city – unless someone comes up with a plan that involves keeping the Jaffa from becoming a sacrifice."

"Actually," Daniel said, raising his hand slightly to get her attention. "We've been doing some thinking – just in case you might have had a change of heart. We-"

"For the record, _I_ didn't have a change of heart," she said, still grumpy about all the relieved smiles she'd seen – and about the Jaffa insisting they help. She was still certain that they had no business getting involved in what was purely the Tau'ri's problem – and even though she wanted revenge on the Wraith and wanted to destroy them, she wasn't fond of the thought of losing even one Jaffa to reach that goal. That hadn't been her idea. "The Jaffa are free, though, and have offered their help."

Daniel nodded at the correction, understanding better than anyone there – probably – why she was so grumpy, and not taking it personally.

"Well, we were thinking… Why not use some of the same strategy and technology to defeat the Wraith that you used to defeat the Goa'uld?"

"We." She corrected. He'd been there, after all, and had been a help. And had almost died for helping.

He smiled.

"We."

"What do you mean, Daniel?"

"Suck the Wraith in with the Jaffa, and then use that gate thing you made to get the Jaffa free and clear before the Wraith can actually hurt them – and then blow the Wraith with some kind of magnified explosion before they realize it's a trap."

_The gate thing he's referring to wouldn't be able to handle that many people at one time, _Talon told her.

I know.

But the plan itself did have merit, if they could figure out a way to get the Jaffa clear.

"We couldn't move that many Jaffa with that device, Daniel," Melony told him. "Not to mention the hard landing on the other side." Both of them had felt that, after all. "It's a thought, though."

"How many Jaffa are we talking about?" Jack asked.

"I told Tao to gather three hundred."

Teyla's eyes grew wide.

"Three hundred with life forces such as yours and Teal'c's?"

Mitchell nodded.

"If there were more, we'd have more trouble controlling the size of the group." Not that the Jaffa weren't very good at obeying orders and keeping themselves controlled, but more than that and she'd have trouble keeping track of them.

_Not to mention your conscience won't allow more_

Yeah, there was that, too.

"Three hundred would be irresistible to the Wraith," Teyla said certainly. "Just yourself and Teal'c stand out. Three hundred would be a beacon none could keep away from."

"Provided we figure out a way to make sure they don't get killed," Jack said, before Melony could.

"If we could figure out a way to break the connection of the wormhole and dial the gate out while they were attacking, we'd have no trouble getting the Jaffa out of there," Sam said.

"Or if we could figure out a way to get the gate thing we used with the Goa'uld to handle more people – without the sudden stop at the end – we could use it," Daniel said. He still liked the idea of using the technology Mitchell and Talon had built, because there'd be no way the Wraith would be able to find a counter for it in time to save themselves.

"There is also the task of deciding a place to hold this ambush," Teal'c said. "No doubt an explosion of the magnitude that is being discussed will cause considerable damage to whatever location it is implemented."

"The last ambush Colonel Mitchell sprang on the Goa'uld was out in space," Rodney said. "_This_ one would have to be on a planet… which might actually blow the planet up."

"_Probably_ would blow the planet up," Sam corrected.

"It'd have to be _huge_ to reach the Wraith in their ships above the planet," Sheppard said. "You'd _have_ to blow the planet up…"

Mitchell nodded; she'd pretty much decided the same thing. Which meant that they needed to figure out a way to get the bait off the hook before the fish struck. Now, though, it wasn't just her and Talon trying to come up with a plan; she had a lot of help. And some of the best brains in the business, both tactical and scientific.

"Let's think of something, then…"

They didn't have much time, after all.


	59. 59

Before they could really get into discussing strategies, Mitchell spoke up.

"I'm going to bring Tao in on this, since he needs to know what we're planning."

She reached for the device on her wrist – a device that most of them had always assumed was simply an overly large wristwatch – and pressed a button.

"I'll be right back."

She left the pavilion, and the others watched her go.

"Is she going to go get him?" Weir asked.

"She probably just signaled for him to come and join us," Daniel replied.

"Signaled? Then he must be close by?"

Sam shook her head. While she didn't actually have one of the communication devices that Mitchell wore (Daniel and Jack both did, however), she understood the technology behind them better than anyone else.

"He's probably on one of the Jaffa settled worlds," she said.

"But Doctor Jackson thinks she signaled-"

"The device on her wrist is capable of sending a subspace message to the person it's being sent to. Using similar technology to that of the Stargates."

"Really?" This was from McKay, who hadn't had a lot of experience with Mitchell's technology, and was immediately impressed. "Something that small…?"

Sam nodded, and gestured to the one on Daniel's wrist.

"It's still in the infancy stages, really, but the technology is simply amazing." Eventually she was going to work on it a bit and see how they worked and how it could be adapted to their own uses. There had just been too many other things taking her time, however, once she'd taken over SG-1.

McKay looked like he wanted to ask Daniel to take the device off his wrist so he could check it out, but Sam shook her head.

"It'll only work for Daniel."

"What?"

"The one on his wrist is specifically calibrated to Daniel's DNA. That way no one else can take the device from him and try to send Colonel Mitchell a message pretending to be someone they aren't."

"Why would-"

"In case someone wanted to ambush her," Sheppard said, catching on.

Sam nodded.

"I'll be right back."

They all looked up as Jack got to his feet and headed for the gate. As much as he loved to discuss technology – or listen in on those discussions – he'd much rather go with Melony, even though he hadn't been invited. Besides, it was in his nature to want to see who was coming through the Stargate – especially one that didn't have an iris on it. There was only a slight hesitation, and Teal'c joined him as well. For much the same reason.

Mitchell looked over her shoulder as she stood in front of the Stargate – back far enough that she was safe from the flare of it engaging, but close enough – and saw the two heading for her.

She wasn't surprised to see either of them, really, and smiled a welcome. Jack noticed that her hand wasn't exactly on the butt of her Beretta, but it was closer than normal. She wasn't any fonder of surprises than the two of them were, after all.

"Who all is coming?" Jack asked her, coming over to stand beside her, while Teal'c took a flanking stance on the other side. The way they were standing now, they looked like an honor guard of sorts, and Melony wondered if they'd done that on purpose, even though they hadn't had time to discuss it.

"Just Tao, most likely."

"It is only right that he should be in on the discussion," Teal'c agreed.

Melony nodded, but before she could say anything, the gate started dialing and drew their attention forward. A moment later it engaged, and only a minute after that the very impressive form of Melony's First Prime emerged.

There were the usual greetings, but they didn't last long, and then Mitchell led them back to the pavilion, where the introductions were made. Tao knew Daniel and Sam, but the others were strangers to him, and he nodded a greeting to each as Talon introduced them and told him what position each of them held. The others noticed the change in Mitchell's voice, but aside from a few sideways glances, no one mentioned it.

Teyla had been seated by Teal'c originally. When Tao joined them, the Jaffa automatically chose a spot next to Teal'c. When Mitchell walked over to the front once more, this put her in close proximity, and Teyla couldn't help but shake her head in amazement. This might have gone unnoticed, except for the way she was staring at them – and the fact that she'd paled slightly.

"Teyla?"

Sheppard was the first to speak, but all of them had been looking at her, and she flushed slightly at the attention.

"I cannot believe you do not notice the difference in the area…"

"What do you mean?" Sam asked, curiously.

"The life forces of Teal'c and Colonel Mitchell are potent, especially when the two are standing beside each other like they were earlier. But when Tao joined them, it magnified, and is almost overwhelming."

"So the more that are together, the stronger it gets for you?" McKay asked, curiously.

She nodded.

"And the Wraith sense the life forces, too? Like you and some of your people do?"

"Yes. They are even more sensitive…"

Sam looked at Mitchell and then at Jack.

"If she's that overwhelmed by three, just imagine what it'll be like with 300."

"We've definitely got the right bait," McKay said, smugly.

Mitchell scowled, but didn't correct him. Instead she moved slightly away from Teal'c and Tao, and addressed the entire group.

"Let's make some plans, then. I'm not going to bring in the Jaffa until I know where to send them."


	60. 60

The first thing they really needed to do, though, was to get Tao completely up to speed on the Wraith. How they acted, what they were like and also the fact that they regenerated so quickly – which was something that the Jaffa needed to know so they wouldn't be caught off guard by a Wraith assumed dead rising from the ground and attacking from behind.

Tao didn't seem at all concerned by the prospect of battling warriors who were practically immortal. He was a Jaffa, and finer warriors had never been born. Besides, Sheppard and Mitchell had both told him that they did die, and Mitchell told him that zats worked just as well on Wraith as they did on anyone else. The Jaffa had far more zats than the Tau'ri, and Tao would make sure to bring plenty.

"The idea that we've come up with so far," Melony said, standing in front of the small group but mainly addressing Tao, "is to use the fact that the Wraith can't turn down a good meal to their disadvantage."

"How so?" Tao asked.

"By letting them think there's an entire planet filled with Jaffa close at hand."

"The Wraith know that Atlantis is the key to an abundant feeding ground," Sam explained. "They don't know that the person that they tortured to get that information was from Earth – they just know it's somewhere, and that they need to get to Atlantis to find it."

"If Atlantis possesses the only Stargate leading into our system, then the Wraith must not be allowed near it." Tao said, looking at Sam and then over at Mitchell.

"They're not going to get anywhere near our peoples, Tao," Melony assured him. "We're already making plans to evacuate Atlantis and blow it up to keep the Wraith from getting their hands on it."

"Good."

"But we don't really want to do that if we can avoid it," McKay said with a pained look on his face. He didn't like that Tao was all for blowing up Atlantis, too – although he knew he should have expected the Jaffa to be.

"Explain."

Tao intimidated McKay, and Rodney didn't like that. Of course, he was also well aware of the fact that Mitchell was the only one who had any control over the Jaffa, and that if he wanted to Tao could break him in half rather easily. So it wasn't a big surprise that the pained expression stayed on his face while he spoke again.

"We can learn a lot from the Ancients if we don't destroy all their technology when we blow up Atlantis."

"Why not simply move their technology to a different location?"

"Because not all of it is portable."

"And we might learn something interesting from them," Mitchell added, much to Rodney's relief. "So we should save the city if we can."

Tao nodded. If that was what Talon wanted, he'd try to save the Ancient's city.

"So you wish to lure the Wraith to the Jaffa – who will be where?"

"On a planet somewhere…"

"And then what?"

"We blow the planet up, and the Wraith with it."

"And the Jaffa…"

"No," Talon said. "The Jaffa will not be there any longer. That's the whole point of this meeting. If we bring in 300 Jaffa to lure the Wraith to the planet in question, I fully intend to bring 300 back."

Tao nodded.

"The first thing we need to do is decide if blowing up a planet is even feasible," Jack said.

Sam looked over at him, surprised that he used the word _feasible_. He knew why she was giving him the odd look, and he scowled, but tempered that frown when he reached out and rested her hand lightly on her leg for just a moment.

Sam smiled.

"Blowing up a planet isn't really all that hard. Most planets are very unstable at the core anyways, and it's simply a matter of adding to that instability."

"So we need a planet," Mitchell said.

"We… kind of have one in mind…" Daniel said, suddenly looking uncomfortable.

"One that has a history of volcanic activity – which is a sure sign of the instability that we require," Sam added, also looking at Mitchell oddly. She looked almost guilty, Melony decided.

_Yes, she does_, Talon agreed.

"And is almost completely deserted," Daniel said, speaking up again.

"Almost?" Mitchell asked, looking over at Jack, who wasn't looking guilty at all – and was watching the others curiously.

_Whatever it is, he doesn't know…_

Yeah.

McKay did, though. Melony could see his expression becoming uneasy as well.

"There are a few… creatures here and there on the planet in question…" Rodney said, wishing he could inch away from his position next to Tao without looking too obvious.

"A few creatures…" Melony scowled, suddenly, as she put two and two together. And felt Talon's indignation as well. "Absolutely not."

"But Colonel, it's perfect," Sam said. "We already know it's deserted, and we can-"

"It's not deserted!"

"There aren't any _people_ on it," Rodney said.

"It's not deserted," Mitchell repeated. "And I'm not going to allow you guys to blow it up. Find another-"

"Melony…" Daniel looked just as guilty, but he was the only that dared call her by name just then. "We've looked through the mission logs left and right. You have, too, I know. You know that there are very few planets that are exactly what we need, but-"

"What the hell are you guys talking about?" Jack asked, annoyed that he even had to ask.

"They want to blow up Talonopolis," Melony said, scowling.

"What?"

"They want to blow up-"

"I heard you," Jack said, looking from Mitchell and over to Sam. "Really?"

She nodded.

"It's the best bet we have…"


	61. 61

"_Talonopolis_?" Jack repeated, looking at Sam. "Why would you want to blow-"

"They're not going to," Melony said, firmly, her eyes flat and angry at the very thought. "The Mok are extinct everywhere else in the universe, and I'm not about to-"

"Better the Mok than _humankind_," McKay said.

Mitchell glared at him.

_Absolutely not_, Talon said to his host. He was just as furious at the idea as Melony was. More, even.

"Look, Colonel…" Sam said, quickly, before Mitchell could really get angry. "We could move the Mok to another planet. Talonopolis is really an ideal place for this plan, though. The base you built is impervious to sensor readings – which means we can hide anything in there, including the weapon that we use to blow the place, and we know it's already unstable, because of all the volcanic activity. I've been there. I've seen the hot room as you guys have been calling it. That's our best access to the volcanic belly of that planet."

"No. Find another planet."

"We don't have time to go looking through a lot of different worlds, Melony," Daniel said. "Sam's right; we can move the Mok someplace safe, and-"

"You have _Mok_ here?" Tao asked, interrupting.

Mitchell nodded.

"Not here, but we found some on the planet they're discussing. A sizeable herd of them," she told her First Prime.

"Really?"

It was the first show of emotion they had seen from the Jaffa, and a confirmation to those who didn't know it already that the Mok were apparently something special.

Mitchell nodded again, and Tao stood up.

"I agree with Lord Talon. This planet that holds the Mok is unacceptable for the plan, and until you find a substitute I will not call upon the Jaffa to assist you."

They all stared at Tao with varying degrees of disbelief and chagrin in their expressions, but Mitchell could feel Talon positively gloating. The symbiote was not willing to lose the Mok – not after finding them flourishing when they'd been thought to be extinct.

"Melony… we _need_ Talonopolis," Daniel said, hoping to appeal to her because he knew that she could get the Jaffa behind her if she was behind the plan. They'd known Mitchell wasn't going to be _happy_ when they announced which planet they wanted to blow up, but none of them had expected a flat out refusal. They'd expected her to listen to reason, at least. Like she had when they'd originally brought up the idea of using the Jaffa to lure the Wraith away from Atlantis. And this time the only danger was to a small group of animals. And even _that_ wasn't certain, because they could always move the Mok to someplace else.

If they'd asked Jack, they would have been told to expect something like this, though.

"You can't have it, Daniel."

"Be reasonable, Colonel…" McKay said. "It's just a bunch of animals."

The look she threw his way this time was filled with disgust and fury, and Rodney backed down immediately. Especially with Tao standing beside Mitchell, looming dangerously close and seeming to swell with anger of his own as he watched them argue with his goddess.

"The Mok aren't just a bunch of animals, McKay," Mitchell said. "They're special, and I'm not going to kill them just so you can keep Atlantis up and running."

She looked at Sam and Daniel, too angry to even be sorry for being stubborn.

"Find another planet."

"We don't have time to survey all the planets on the list and still come up with a viable plan," Daniel said.

"How about if we find a good planet for the Mok?" Sam asked. "A good one. One they can thrive in."

"I would like to see these Mok," Tao said. Like Talon, he'd only heard of the creatures, and was really excited to hear that they weren't extinct as had been thought. Of course, he hid that excitement fairly well, but those that knew him well would notice the difference. Which meant Melony noticed.

"I'll take you," she said.

"But we're not done here, Melony," Daniel said.

"We're done, Daniel," Jack disagreed. He could tell from the way she was acting that Melony wasn't going to change her mind, and that there wasn't any use trying to talk to her until she'd had a chance to get over her anger. He wished that they had told him what they'd been plotting, because they'd certainly bungled it. There were ways to talk to Melony to get her to think reasonably – even about something like this – and he would have been able to advise them. As it was, they'd angered her and she'd clammed up tight. Which was what she always did when she was mad. He knew, because it was what he did, too. After he chewed everyone out around him.

"But-"

"Daniel."

The archeologist backed down. He didn't like it, and it showed, but he stopped arguing. Tao turned to Mitchell once he was certain that there were going to be no further arguments.

"You did not mention the Mok before."

It wasn't an accusation. Whether Talon and Melony liked it or not, Tao thought of her as his goddess and would never take such a tone with her, but it was a question.

"I didn't think it would come up," she admitted. "But I would have shown them to you eventually. I have some pictures that I took of them – and some video. Want to see?"

Why not ask if he liked killing Goa'uld?

Tao smiled and nodded, and she and the Jaffa walked back towards Fugly while the others looked on in varying disbelief.

Weir turned to O'Neill.

"What do we do now, General?"

Jack sighed and looked at Sam and the other scientists.

"Is Talonopolis _really_ the best hope for this plan to work, or are you just being too lazy to look for a better place?"

Sam didn't take offense at the question, knowing that he didn't mean it offensively. He was just making sure that they really needed that planet. She nodded.

"Yes. It's perfect."

"Then we wait for her to cool off a bit, and we try again. This time without springing any surprises on her." He looked at Carson, who had been sitting off to the side more or less just watching events unfold, since no one had told _him_ about wanting to blow up Talonopolis, either. "Why don't you go calm her down?"

"_Me_?"

"Just go, doc."

He'd use whatever he could get, just then. Even Beckett's relationship with Melony.

Not looking at all excited at the prospect of being used in such a fashion, Carson nonetheless got up and headed off after Melony and Tao.

"What do we do now?" Sheppard asked.

"We wait."


	62. 62

Tao was standing about twenty feet from _Fuglier_, watching the ship when Carson walked up to him. There was no sign of Melony, so the doctor assumed she was inside the little ship getting something, and he started past Tao, thinking that he'd at least have a chance to talk to her in private and maybe help her calm down. Before he could move more than a step, however, Tao had reached out and grabbed him by the back of his collar, halting his progress.

"Hey!"

The First Prime looked at him, unconcerned.

"Has My Lord Talon introduced you to the force field that protects this ship?"

"What?"

"The force field. Have you been introduced to it?"

"No."

"Then go no further or you shall surely die a most painful but sudden death."

Carson paled, remembering that Melony had said something about the protections on her ship and her laboratory on the planet and introducing him to them, but he'd forgotten all about it.

"I forgot about that…"

"Apparently."

He wanted to be annoyed by the superior tone in Tao's voice, but the Jaffa had just saved his life so he couldn't really be annoyed about anything. It had been a close thing.

"Have _you_ been introduced to them?"

"Yes. My Lord Talon asked me to wait, in case someone followed."

"That was wise of her…"

"Indeed."

He stood beside Tao, feeling small and insignificant next to the towering Jaffa, and waited in silence for Melony to return. Sure enough, a few minutes later, Mitchell made an appearance, coming out of the hatch with a small video camera in her hand. She didn't look at all surprised to see Carson standing beside Tao, and she gave him a tight smile when she walked over to them.

"Let me guess… _you've_ been sent to talk sense into me?"

Carson shook his head.

"_I've_ been sent to calm you down a little."

Melony's smile turned a little warmer at the admission, and she linked her free arm through his.

"Come with me and Tao… we can talk while he looks at the video I've shot of the Mok."

He nodded, and walked with her and the First Prime towards a small overhang that would provide a little protection from the sun. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing and would keep the sun's glare off the screen of the video camera. After quickly showing Tao how to use the play selection on the camera – and the reverse and forward so he could look at it again if he wanted to – she took Carson's hand and sat down with him only ten feet or so away from where the Jaffa was sitting.

"So judging from the look on your face while they were telling me this brilliant plan of theirs, you didn't have anything to do with this…"

He shook his head.

"It's the first I heard of any of it. But then, they weren't keeping me in the loop, either."

"Or Jack, from the looks of things."

"That's a fair guess."

She smiled and squeezed his hand. At least it wasn't a conspiracy. Well, it _was_, but the scientists were the only one involved, and you just had to expect a scientist to come up with a plan like that.

"I'm sorry we couldn't have that time alone…"

He nodded, his eyes locked on her own – and once more he was aware just how lucky he was that it was him she loved.

"I am, too. But there'll be time later…"

He brought her hand up to his lips and turned it over, kissing her palm lightly, and Melony smiled again. Yeah, he was probably the best one to have been sent. Jack couldn't have made her feel as good as Carson did. And for obvious reasons.

"Let's hope."

"This is amazing!"

The exclamation drew their attention towards Tao, who had been watching the video and ignoring them. Mitchell smiled, because she thought it was pretty amazing, too, and squeezed Carson's hand before letting it go and walking over to stand by her First Prime, looking over his shoulder.

"The ones with the things hanging behind their ears are males," she said, pointing to one. "The others are females."

"Did you see any young?"

The eager look in his expression was so out of place to Carson that he stared at the Jaffa and not at the picture – after all; he'd seen the Mok, but never an excited Jaffa.

Mitchell shook her head.

"No. But we didn't have a lot of time to explore."

"This herd cannot be allowed to be destroyed, my Lord."

Melony nodded, looking over at the pavilion where everyone else was with a slight scowl.

"I have no intention of losing them, Tao."

As much as he didn't want Melony mad at him, Carson still had to ask the next question, because he was honestly confused by her outright refusal to consider a plan that everyone else said was their best shot for defeating the Wraith.

"I don't understand…" he said. "Why couldn't they be moved to another planet…?"

Melony turned, and Tao scowled.

"Because they don't _exist_ on any other planet, Carson," Mitchell told him – and he was glad to hear that she didn't sound angry at the question. "We don't know for certain they'd survive on another planet."

"But they did before, right?" he asked. "You told me they were extinct because they'd been killed off because of their fur…"

"They were."

"Then they might be able to survive somewhere else as long as they weren't hunted… wouldn't they?"

She scowled.

"It's not a chance I want to take…"

"The Jaffa could watch them and protect them. Who'd hurt the Mok with the Jaffa around?"

Which appealed to Tao's pride.

"The Jaffa can watch them just as well on Talonopolis."

"Not if the Wraith take over," he pointed out.

Melony frowned, because truth be told, she hadn't actually considered that. The Wraith would make it difficult for her and Talon to keep the Mok where they were – and Talon was grudgingly agreeing even as she thought about it.

_We probably would want to move them, anyways_, he admitted. _Someplace with a large Jaffa population would be ideal, because he's right; the Jaffa will not let anything happen to the Mok _

Yeah.

She hadn't considered the Jaffa as caretakers for the Mok – of course, she'd had a lot of other things on her mind, too – but the Jaffa were perfect. And it'd give them something to concentrate on if they started getting bored with farming. Figuring out how to breed Mok could become a lifetime task, after all – even for the long-lived Jaffa.

"We could probably find a good planet for them," Carson said. "One that's just like Talonopolis – or even better. With lots of those hot springs for them to-"

"Stop, Carson," she interrupted, not liking the way he was suddenly pushing the idea onto her. "I'm thinking about it."

_I'd like to see the Wraith taken out in one huge swipe_, Talon told his host. _They're probably right about using Talonopolis – the planet _is_ unstable, and the lava flow will hide any weapon we use_

Of course, he wanted to protect Atlantis if he could, too – as long as it didn't kill the Mok or risk the Jaffa.

"The planet's unstable…" she mused aloud. "Not that it's going to implode any time soon, of course, but eventually it probably will – and the Mok would have to be moved anyways…"

_True_

Bah.


	63. 63

It was little more than an hour before Mitchell returned to the group under the small pavilion, but it felt like much longer to those who had been waiting. It wasn't like there had been a whole lot to do, after all, and the weather wasn't interesting enough to talk about for any long periods of time. When she returned, she had Carson and Tao with her, one on either side, and Jack noticed she'd lost the annoyed expression and a lot of the tension in her posture was gone as well. Obviously the good doctor had managed to calm her down at least a little.

"Okay," she said before anyone could say anything. If you want to blow up Talonopolis, you're going to have to do a couple of things for me, first."

"Such as?" Weir asked.

"The Mok have to all – and I mean _all_ – be evacuated, first to Atlantis and then to another planet in this system. A _Jaffa_ controlled planet, so they'll be protected. Before the Wraith come."

"But that'll take too-"

"Rodney, hush." Weir interrupted, looking at Mitchell. "Go on, Colonel."

"Second. If you're going to use the Jaffa as bait, then you're going to have to figure out a way to evacuate them before the planet blows without the Stargate – in case the Wraith pull their stunt with dialing in so no one can dial out. I won't risk the Jaffa any more than I will the Mok."

The group sitting there looked over at Tao, to see how he was dealing with being compared in importance to a bunch of animals, but the Jaffa was simply nodding. He agreed completely with his goddess. The Mok had to be protected. Mitchell continued.

"I want to see this method of extraction before it's used – so I know that it'll work." Mitchell looked at Sam, and her expression softened just a little. "Not that I don't trust you, Colonel. I just want to make sure."

"I understand," Sam assured her, smiling. "We've already started thinking of ideas, actually, and I'm sure we can come up with something."

They'd have to, after all.

"Anything else?" Jack asked.

Mitchell shrugged, and then shook her head.

"Those are my two concerns. Do any of you have any others?"

There were negatives all around, although McKay looked as if he were going to say something and had decided against it. Which was probably just as well since it was probably something that would just piss someone off.

"What's the plan, then?" Melony asked.

Jack shrugged, looking at Sam.

"Carter?"

"We'll still want as much of your Goa'uld technology as we can get, Colonel," Sam said. "We've figured that we have about three weeks before the Wraith are an immediate threat to Atlantis. That'll give the Jaffa time to get there, and hopefully settled onto Talonopolis, and give us time to come up with a good evac operation while we try to find a place for the Mok."

"You can set up a team of xenobiologists for that," McKay said. "They won't have anything else to do; they might as well figure out where to put all the Mok – and how to round them up – or whatever you want to call gathering them and bringing them back to Atlantis."

"I can lead that team," Carson offered. "I've already had a chance to study them somewhat, so I know them as well as anyone, I suppose."

Plus Melony trusted him, and it would give him something to do. Like McKay had said, the doctors weren't going to have anywhere near as much to do as the scientists were – and hopefully it would remain that way.

Melony gave him a grateful smile and turned to the others.

"I'll stay here with a Jumper and strip down Fuglier and as much of my lab as I can. You guys head back to Atlantis and get started." As much as she wanted time to spend alone with Carson, she didn't have any time, now, and neither did he. She turned to Tao, who nodded. He didn't need her to tell him his orders; he already knew.

"I will gather the Jaffa, my Lady, and we will be ready when you summon us."

"I don't doubt that for a minute, Tao."

He nodded his acceptance of the compliment and Mitchell turned back to the group once more.

"With the crystals combined with the mini-ZPM things that Kale's people found, we shouldn't have any power problems," she said. "Keep that in mind. But remember; we want to be able to get back home again, so save at least one of each, okay?"

Sam nodded.

"Anything else?" Jack asked, standing up. He was hot and sweaty – the weather on Melonyville did that to a person, after all – and more than ready to leave. Besides, the others had a lot to get done.

"Nope."

Sam shook her head as well, and so did the others. They had all their pieces, now; all they needed was a plan. Or a couple of plans, really.

"Then let's go."

Everyone else stood up as well and headed out into the sunlight. Jack lingered behind, as did Tao and Beckett.

"You sure you don't need any help here?" he asked her. "We could probably spare the good doctor for a couple of days – and then you could kick him back through the gate when you got tired of his company…"

She hesitated, seriously tempted, and looked over at Carson, who kept his face carefully neutral – although his eyes were hopeful.

"Maybe a day or so…" she said, giving in. It wasn't like she didn't want to, after all!

Beckett smiled, and so did Jack – although there was far more amusement in his smile, while Carson's was one of relief.

"Just try to get some work done, too."

"Yes, sir, General O'Neill, sir." She snapped him a salute and then slapped his shoulder. "Go on, get out of here. And don't forget; you're going to need to have a place to bed down 300 Jaffa for a day or so – or more, if necessary."

"Yes, Ma'am, Colonel Mitchell."

He grinned and headed for the Jumper the others were already piling into, and Mitchell turned to Tao, and Talon took over.

"Take the video of the Mok with you, Tao," The Tok'ra said. "But remind those that are coming that they will not have an opportunity to see the creatures until we finish what we are doing."

"I will."

She smiled, and offered him her hand.

"We will come for you in a week's time."

"We'll be ready."

He bowed, and headed for the gate, anxious to get back to his people and show them the video of the Mok – as well as to get his volunteers gathered.

Less than fifteen minutes later, there were only two people left on Melonyville, and Mitchell turned to Carson, reaching out and taking his hand.

"We have a lot to do…"

He nodded.

"You need to introduce me to your force field," he reminded her, squeezing her hand lightly. "I don't want to get fried."

She smiled.

"Let's go take care of that." There were lots of things she wanted to do, after all, but none of them out in the hot sun.


	64. 64

Despite the distraction of having Carson around – and it was definitely a distraction, although a very pleasant one – Melony did manage to make good time dismantling _Fuglier_ and loading various pieces of technology that she thought might come in handy onto the Jumper that had been left behind. Not everything would fit, of course, and she and Talon had some long conversations about what would be the best to bring and what would have to be left behind, but the tools that they might normally have needed could be left behind – as well as a lot of the diagnostic stuff, since there were plenty of those items at Atlantis – so that made that much more room for weaponry and other technology.

Once he'd been introduced to the protective shielding that surrounded the base, it was safe for Carson to touch most of the items in the lab. The problem, however, was that most of the items in the lab were simply too dangerous for him to handle without Melony right there anyways, so he didn't help as much as he'd have liked to.

Instead, remembering his promise to be responsible for the Mok, Carson used the down time to search through Melony's files on Talonopolis, mindful of the fact that the Mok wouldn't be the only thing that he needed move off that planet. He'd also need to figure out what indigenous plant life the Mok ate and take that as well, so it could be transplanted to the new planet alongside the Mok themselves. Luckily, Mitchell had plenty of information on the plants in the area around the lava base, and since that was the place the Mok seemed to congregate, the plants they ate had to be the ones around there as well.

By the time she and Talon had stripped _Fuglier_ clean of what they could, and had loaded the Jumper with whatever they thought might come in handy, Carson had a fair idea of what he was facing with the move – as long as the others had figured out a way to move them. Because he was pretty sure rounding them up on horseback like a bunch of cows wasn't going to work.

"Are we ready then?" She asked him, as they were finishing up dinner one evening four days after everyone else had left.

He nodded.

"I think so… except for one thing…"

"Yeah? What'd we forget?"

"This."

He leaned over and kissed her.

Melony smiled as they broke apart.

"I'm pretty sure we covered that earlier…" Several times.

"Well, you _do_ want to make sure we have it down, don't you…?"

"It can't hurt," she agreed, reaching for him.

_Wanton_

She felt Talon's amusement, and ignored it, her attention completely on what was at hand.

OOOOOOOOO

The warning alarms blared thru out Atlantis, drawing the attention of everyone in the command center – and the attention of a lot of people who weren't. Jack O'Neill had been discussing placement of people with Weir when the alarms went off and both of them simply looked over at Grodin, who was already checking the computer. He turned to the General and Weir.

"It's Colonel Mitchell."

"Lower the shield," Weir ordered, as everyone who had been in the lower level of the command center moved out of the way of the gate – including the Marines who had come to a defensive stance with their weapons up the moment the first alarm had sounded.

The shield dropped and a moment later the Jumper emerged from the gate, with Mitchell and Beckett clearly visible in the cockpit area. As the ship rose to the ceiling, Jack turned to head for the door, followed by Weir. The two of them were joined by Teal'c and Daniel, who had also come running at the first chiming of the alarms, but Jack knew that Sam was busy and unless she was called, her and McKay would probably not even realize Melony was back.

They were all standing by the rear hatch when it dropped, and Jack grinned as he watched Beckett trying to get out of the ship around copious piles of what looked like every piece of junk on Melonyville. A moment later, Melony came down the ramp as well, smiling at the welcoming committee.

"How's it going, Jack?" she asked.

"We're ready for your Jaffa," O'Neill told her, smiling as well.

"And the Mok?"

"Carter has something – but she wouldn't tell us until you were here. Something about not wanting to explain it twice."

Which made sense.

"Fair enough."

"Did you bring back enough stuff?" He asked facetiously, looking into the back of the Jumper.

"The only way I could have brought more was to leave Doctor Beckett behind," Mitchell said with a grin, glancing over at Carson. "Since I need him, though, I thought it'd be better to bring him along."

"You're too kind," Beckett told her with a smile of his own, long past the point where he might have had his feeling hurt by such a comment. He knew better now, and the last four days of having her to himself had simply reminded the two of them just what they meant to each other.

"Are the Jaffa ready to come?" Jack asked.

Mitchell nodded.

"I sent a message to Tao telling him I'd be there as soon as we were ready for them – and he sent me one back saying they're ready to come when we need them. They have enough supplies to be self-sufficient for three weeks – or more, if they ration things."

"We'd better bring them over, then," Weir said. "That way they can hear whatever plans we come up with and there's no confusion."

Mitchell and O'Neill both nodded their agreement to that, and Jack looked over at Melony.

"Why don't you get your junk stored in a lab somewhere?" Jack asked.

"We cleared one out," Daniel said before she could make a comment about having him call her technology 'junk'. "No one will go near it – because I've told them all just what can happen to them if they get hold of something protected."

"He was pretty graphic," Weir added with a slight smile. "No will mess with your things."

"Good."

Some of it _was_ pretty dangerous, after all.

_And you don't want people snooping through our stuff_, Talon added.

And you _do_?

_Of course not. If I had my way, we'd put a field around it so they'd get zapped if they tried_

Which wasn't really an option, of course. It was bad form to zap your allies, after all.

Smiling, Mitchell nodded.

"I might need some help carrying it all…"

"I will help you," Teal'c offered.

That was all the help she needed.


	65. 65

"You'll be right back, right?"

Mitchell nodded.

"There and back. The Jaffa are very good at being prepared, after all, and Tao assured me that they were ready when I spoke to him last."

Jack nodded, and he and Melony stepped clear of the gate as it dialed up. An instant later it flared to life, and she hoisted the pack on her shoulder – which held a crystal and a mini ZPM, to make sure that she had enough power on the gate to keep it open as long as necessary, and a few rations. Just in case. On her hip was her Beretta, but it was the only weapon she was carrying. She didn't need anything else. Not where she was going.

"Make sure you have plenty of room here," she reminded Jack, who nodded.

"We're all set."

She didn't double-check him; she simply nodded.

"See you in a bit."

And she went through the gate, which shut down only a minute later – telling them that she reached the other side.

"How long should this take?" McKay asked. He had been in the group watching, mainly because he was just a little nervous at having 300 Jaffa coming into Atlantis.

"Not too long," O'Neill answered, leaning against the console instead of leaving the room. He was a little nervous as well – the Jaffa had been his enemies far longer than they'd been his friends, after all – but he hid it far better than McKay.

Sam smiled, because she knew he was hiding it – she knew him better than anyone in the room, after all – and Jack echoed that smile with a slight one of his own. He wasn't nervous… nah…

They weren't even waiting ten minutes before the alarms sounded throughout the control room, and the gate started dialing in.

"Wow."

Jack smiled at Weir.

"She said it wouldn't take too long."

He looked down at the room, making sure that the marines who were gathered with their weapons were out of the way.

"Lets not have any unfortunate occurrences," he reminded them. Many of them had fought the Jaffa in the past, after all. "They're allies."

The Marines nodded, and he could see them relax just a little – but only a little.

"Lower the shield," Weir directed. And it went down.

A minute later, it was Mitchell who emerged from the gate first – probably thinking that it would be a good idea to have herself between the Jaffa and the others, at least for the initial meeting.

Right behind her came the first of the Jaffa. Dressed in their full field armor – just as Jack remembered them wearing so many times before – and bristling with weapons, each of them was also carrying a couple of large rucksacks, which undoubtedly held the supplies they would need to be self-sufficient while they were offworld.

The Jaffa had obviously been informed that the room they were going into wasn't going to hold them all, because the first rank that arrived immediately moved off to the side, watching to see if someone was going to direct them somewhere else.

Teal'c had been given just that assignment, and the former First Prime gestured for the Jaffa to follow him. A quick look over at Mitchell, who nodded her approval, and the Jaffa followed him, stopping just outside the door as they were joined by even more warriors and still more. Jack wasn't counting, but the room filled quickly, even with them being siphoned off into the hallway.

"Oh my…"

He looked over at Weir, who was pale.

"Relax, Doctor Weir," O'Neill told her. "They're on our side, remember?"

She nodded, looking a little chagrined.

"It's not easy to remember."

Teyla was also pale, but for another reason completely, and Jack couldn't even imagine what she was feeling with that many Jaffa and symbiotes around. If Melony and Teal'c were overwhelming, this had to be like a freight train.

"You okay?" Daniel asked her, noticing the same thing Jack had.

She nodded, her eyes on the swarming Jaffa.

"There are so many of them… how can we lose with them on our side?"

"That's the whole idea," McKay said.

Mitchell had climbed halfway up the staircase, and was watching from that semi-lofty perch as her Jaffa emerged from the Stargate.

_They look good, you have to admit_

She nodded.

They definitely do.

The Jaffa were silent, only the creaking of armor, the step of heavy boots, or the rustle of a pack making noise as they filed in, and once one of them saw her, all of them looked towards her as they noticed her, each giving her a slight salute as they hurried out of the way of the others who were coming.

After what seemed like forever – although it was only fifteen minutes or so – Tao came through the gate, and stopped in front of Mitchell. Unlike the others, he wasn't carrying a weapon or a pack – probably he'd given it to one of his subordinates. The gate disengaged behind him.

"That is the last of them," he reported, as Jack and Weir walked down the steps to join them, followed by the others.

"Well done, Tao," Talon replied. "See that they're settled and then you and your lieutenants follow Teal'c, who will bring you to join us."

"Yes, my Lady."

The First Prime bowed, and then headed back down the stairs, following his men, and Teal'c. The Jaffa had been given one very large room – a sort of amphitheater as near as the Atlanteans could tell – for their use. Mitchell had conferred with O'Neill and Weir and they'd decided that it would be far more convenient to have the Jaffa all in the same place. The Jaffa wouldn't mind – the Atlanteans had managed to find plenty of mattresses for them to bed down on until they were moved to Talonopolis – where they'd just be camping out on the ground. Which would hardly kill any of them.

As he left the room, Melony turned to Jack and the others.

"They look good," Jack said, echoing Talon's earlier comment without realizing it.

Melony nodded.

"Let's make sure we keep them looking that way, shall we?"


	66. 66

"So what do you have, Colonel?" Mitchell asked as she entered the larger of the two briefing rooms that the Atlanteans used for mission reports. With the amount of people that would be in on things, they'd want as much room a possible, and several extra chairs had been brought in and placed in front of a plain white wall that would be used as a screen for any slides or video that the scientists would be using to brief them on what plans they had so far.

Sam smiled.

"I think we came up with a way to get the Mok of Talonopolis – and we might also have figured out a way to move all the Jaffa when the time comes for them to escape."

"Really?"

Mitchell didn't bother to hide her surprise – her very _pleased_ surprise.

_Don't count on it_, Talon told her.

He would wait and make sure of things before he counted on anything just yet – although he liked and admired Samantha Carter enough to be pretty sure that she wasn't going to say she had an idea without being onto something at least – and they could always build on whatever she had if it wasn't enough.

"I _think_," Sam tempered, unwilling to say for certain that it was definitely the plan they'd end up with. "Doctor McKay agrees with me that it's a possibility."

The Doctor in question entered the room just then, looking smug and very pleased with himself.

_Why does that expression annoy me so much?_

Probably because it's on him.

"Ah, you're here," McKay headed for Melony, who was standing between Sam and Jack, waiting for the others to join them. "Did Samantha tell you about the discovery we made?"

Melony shook her head.

"Not yet."

"We can wait until everyone's here," Jack said. "That way we don't have to go over it more that once."

McKay looked just a little disappointed, but he nodded, looking around the room.

"Are the Jaffa coming?"

"Not all of them."

He looked like he was going to make a comment – and Melony knew that it was going to be something sarcastic – but just then there was a commotion at the entrance to the room and Tao entered with Teal'c, the two First Primes flanked by three other Jaffa. All in full armor and looking around suspiciously. Whatever Rodney was going to say died before anything escaped, and he paled just a little, moving slightly to get out of the way.

Melony felt a snicker from Talon, but she didn't say anything or make any sign of her own amusement. She now had an anti-sarcasm tool at her disposal – although intimidating Rodney really wasn't very nice, when he was trying just as hard as everyone else to come up with solutions.

_Spoilsport_

"What do the Jaffa know about the Wraith, Melony?" Jack asked.

"Everything I do – more or less. I didn't want to have to brief them here, so I made sure Tao knew what I did and had the information he needed to let them know what they were facing."

"So we won't need to catch them up on things…" Sam said, nodding her approval.

"No."

The Jaffa nodded a greeting to her – although they didn't interrupt because she was speaking, and followed Teal'c and Tao over to the chairs waiting for them. A moment later Daniel entered the room with Sheppard and Teyla, and Carson followed close behind, smiling a greeting to Melony, but going over and sitting down next to Lieutenant Ford, who had found a seat beside Tao.

"Are we ready?" Sam asked the room in general.

There were assorted nods, and Melony and Jack went over and sat down, handing the floor over to McKay and Carter.

Sam gave everyone a cursory nod by way of greeting, and then cleared her throat.

"When I spoke with Major Sheppard about the attack the Wraith launched on the Athosians, he told me something that didn't seem to make any sense – although it was verified by Teyla, and Lieutenant Ford and several others who witnessed it."

"What's that?" Mitchell asked, curiously.

"When the Wraith attacked, they started beaming up people – for lack of a better word. The thing is, the only ships they had were the ships that are called darts." And Sam showed a slide of one of the darts for the Jaffa – in case they hadn't seen one.

"Yeah," Sheppard said.

Sam looked at him.

"How many people would you say one ship beamed up?"

He shrugged.

"Several – four or five at least."

"There were more than that," Teyla said. She had been pale from being so close to the Jaffa – and their symbiotes, obviously – but she was more interested in what was being said. "I would say eight or more."

Sam nodded and looked at the slide on the wall.

"I've _been_ inside a dart. There isn't enough room for three people – let alone eight. And certainly not if they're prisoners who aren't cooperating."

Several people in the room stared at her, and then looked at the dart on the wall. Of course it wasn't big enough. They couldn't believe they hadn't questioned that themselves.

"So… how did they get all the people in their ships?" Sheppard asked.

"It's simple," Sam said, smiling. "When they beamed them up into their ships, they never rematerialized them."

"What?"

She smiled.

"They hold them in their computer… in whatever little fragments their technology puts them in, and don't reanimate them until they reach their hive ship where-"

"Are you sure about that?" O'Neill asked, curiously. "It sounds pretty risky…"

"I'm positive, Jack." In her enthusiasm for the subject at hand she forgot that they were Colonel and General just then, but no one mentioned it. "It's perfectly safe, too, because the Wraith wouldn't dare risk the health of their potential food source. The humans have to arrive alive and well – and they did when the Athosians were captured. And we know how they did it – which controls they used – and we can do it, too."

"For the Mok?" Carson asked.

Sam nodded.

"And for the rest of the plan as well – if the Jaffa are willing to be subjected to the beam…"


	67. 67

Mitchell frowned, but Sam didn't think it was the frown of someone who was ready to object to the plan immediately. Instead it was a curious frown – speculative.

"Have you tested this?" Mitchell asked. "On _people_, I mean?"

Sam shook her head.

"Not yet, Colonel. I thought we'd try it on something a little less vulnerable, first – like plants or something – but I haven't had a chance to learn to fly one of the dart, and we don't have one here."

"Which means we test it at Talonopolis," Jack said. "On something other than a Mok or a Jaffa."

She nodded. This would also give her the opportunity to learn to fly one of the darts – because she and McKay were the only two who knew how to use the technology of the Wraith, and Rodney had already admitted that he wasn't all that great at flying the Jumpers and had no intention of trying to learn a dart unless he had to. The darts were smaller and faster, and he was a scientist _not_ a pilot.

Sam, on the other hand, was both – and she _really_ wanted to give the darts a whack. She had no doubt that she could easily learn to fly them – especially since Jack was at least as good an instructor as any of her original flight instructors had been. And she knew that they'd need as many dart pilots as they could get for the plan she was formulating already to succeed.

"As soon as possible."

"How long will we be able to keep the Mok in this suspended animation?" Mitchell asked, curiously. "What's the safety net?"

Sam shook her head.

"As near as we can tell, the answer to that question is days – maybe even _months_. Although I would be nervous actually taking that long to reanimate anything – especially the Jaffa."

"No," Mitchell said, looking over at the Jaffa in the room. "We'd want them back immediately."

"So the plan would be to swoop in and use the darts to beam all the Jaffa off the planet before the Wraith came?" Jack asked.

"No. We _have_ to keep them there until the last possible minute – so the Wraith don't become suspicious and leave before we can blow the planet."

"Then what's the plan?" Melony asked.

"That depends on you," Sam said. "You and _Talon_, to be exact."

"Oh?"

"You said you were going to bring in all the technology off _Fuglier_…"

"As much as I could… yes."

"Did you bring that device that you and Daniel used to escape through when you ambushed the system lords?"

Melony frowned.

"Yes. But it'd take forever to get two hundred and fifty Jaffa through that device – they could only go two wide at the most."

"We don't need to get the Jaffa through it one at a time," Sam said. "All we'd need is to be able to fit a dart – or five or six – through it."

"You're talking about beaming the Jaffa onto the darts and then flying the darts through the device?" Jack asked.

"I'm sorry," Sheppard said, raising a hand. "I don't have a clue what you're talking about. What device?"

Sam started to speak up, but Rodney beat her to it.

"Colonel Mitchell and Talon have a device – a very _cool_ device, I might add – that acts exactly like a Stargate – only it's not as large, it's highly portable, and it can't be overridden by anyone dialing in, because it's only one-way."

"It's dangerous, though…" Melony said. "Daniel and I came through that thing at terrific speeds – and we almost died."

"That's because you hit concrete," Sam said. "Well, _Daniel_ did, anyways. You hit a couple of tables. If we set the exit at someplace above the city, no matter how high, or how fast the darts come through, the pilots should be able to regain control of them before they crash into anything. They're very maneuverable, after all – right?"

"Yes." Jack answered.

"But they won't fit through the portal…" Mitchell said.

"Not as it is right now," Sam agreed. "But you can change the portal, can't you?"

"What do you mean?"

"Right now it's a door, right?"

"Yes."

"Make it something a bit bigger. Something big enough for a dart to fit through."

_It's not impossible…_

Mitchell scowled, and Talon sent her a wave of amusement.

_Don't be like that, Hot Shot. It's not as hard as it sounds. And she's right – the darts could handle the stress a lot better than you or Daniel did_

Sam – and everyone else in the room – watched Melony, knowing by the way she seemed a little distracted that she must have been discussing things with Talon. Of course, to the Jaffa it was the other way around – Talon was discussing things with his host. Either way, they all watched, waiting.

Melony sighed.

"It's not _impossible_," she finally said. There was a collective sigh of relief in the room. "It's not _easy_, either," she said. "And I want to see this beam thing work before I even try it."

Sam nodded.

"We can do that. Kale and several of the Light Ones are searching Talonopolis as we speak, looking for any herds – or flocks or groups, whatever they're called – that we might not know about."

"I was wondering where he was…" Sheppard said.

Melony had been wondering the same thing.

"It was decided that we wouldn't have a lot of Light Ones here on Atlantis just now," Weir said, casting a sidelong glance at the Jaffa. One that Melony noticed – but not everyone did.

_Probably just as well_, Talon said, with a purely mental snicker. _With all the pheromones they give off, the last thing we need is three hundred horny Jaffa running around._

Well… yeah, there was that.

Melony managed to keep her expression completely neutral, however, since she didn't think the Jaffa needed to know that.

"Let's go check out this beam thing," she said. "Then I want to hear how you're planning on carrying out the rest of the plan…"


	68. 68

"Now… I don't have to tell you that I really don't want to end up as part of the landscape, do I?"

Sam smiled over her shoulder at Jack, who was standing behind her, his hand on the back of the chair she was seated in.

"You don't _really_ think I'd crash us, do you?"

He leaned over, his hand resting lightly on her shoulder now. They were the only two in the dart, so they didn't have to even pretend to maintain the whole General/Colonel relationship.

"If you kill me, you're sleeping alone tonight…" he whispered in her ear.

She shivered at the whispery breath in her sensitive ear, and smiled again.

"If you do that again, I'll probably end up killing us both."

He chuckled, and pulled back, resuming the duty of flight instructor. He'd already pointed out to her that the controls were similar to most other flight controls – and had pointed to the self-destruct button so she'd know what to avoid.

"Let's go, Colonel."

It didn't surprise him that she took to the dart naturally. Like those who had already been taught – and Jack himself – she found out quickly that the small craft was very maneuverable and incredibly forgiving – although it was also responsive as hell to the slightest touch on the yoke.

A fair distance away from them, Melony and Teal'c were doing some instructing of their own. Not every Jaffa was a pilot – although very few of them would admit it – but several of those who had volunteered to come to Atlantis had turned out to be excellent pilots, and a few of these were now being trained on the darts as well. They were spaced out some distance from each other – which only made sense since there wasn't a simulator to practice on – but by using only those with the most skill in flying there had only been one close call the entire afternoon, and the Jaffa in question had done a superb job of saving himself and his ship by pulling up before he managed to splatter himself all over the plains he had been flying above.

"They look good."

_Indeed_

Talon was, of course, just as proud of the Jaffa as Melony was.

The Jaffa didn't know it, but they were auditioning for the role of pilot. Carter hadn't actually told Melony the plan that she had rattling around in her head, but Mitchell and Talon both knew that if she was going to want to use the darts, they were probably going to need a few more pilots.

And the Jaffa weren't the only ones who were auditioning.

"Duck!"

The young Marine came trotting over to Mitchell when she called him, his eyes on the dart that was just coming in for a landing.

"Yes, Ma'am?"

"Are you ready?"

He grinned.

"Yes, Ma'am."

Why do I feel old when he calls me that?

_Maybe because you're old enough to be his mother?_

No, I'm not.

_Pretty close_

Melony bit back her next comment, and she and Duck watched as Teal'c and one of the other Jaffa emerged from the rear of the dart.

"Let's go commandeer that ship."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Bah.

They walked over to the dart, and Teal'c greeted Melony with a slight bow, while the Jaffa who was with him gave her a much deeper one. Mitchell acknowledged both of them with a smile.

"How did he do, Teal'c?" she asked, already certain of the answer. She'd been watching from the ground, after all.

"He is a very skilled pilot, Colonel Mitchell. You should be proud of him."

Which made the Jaffa in question raise his chin proudly, his back stiffening even more than it had been.

Melony hid her smile – even the Jaffa weren't immune to compliments, after all.

"I _am_, Teal'c." She turned to the Marine standing beside her. "Get in the ship, Corporal Sanders. And don't touch anything until I tell you to."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Duck headed into the dart, not even bothering to hide his excitement at having a shot at one of the Wraith ships, and Mitchell dismissed the Jaffa, waited for him to head off to join the others and turned to Teal'c.

"How are they doing? Really?"

"We have several who are impressive."

Coming from Teal'c, that was high praise indeed.

She nodded; glad they had such a talented group.

"Good."

"I will discuss it with you when you are done with this flight, if you wish."

"If he kills me, tell Sheppard I'm going to come back and haunt him."

Sheppard had been the one to tell Mitchell that Duck was a pilot. Not just a pilot, either, Sheppard had said. He was a _hell_ of a pilot – and Melony had no reason to doubt him. But no matter how good a pilot he was, Mitchell was going to be the one to fly with him and make sure of his skills.

Teal'c gave her a rare smile, and nodded.

"I will inform him of such."

"Only if I die," she reminded him, turning and heading for the rear of the dart as well.

OOOOOOOO

She didn't die. Sheppard had been right. Duck was a very good pilot – maybe even a hell of a pilot – and he took to the dart like… well… like a duck took to the water.

Talon snickered silently in her mind at that, but Mitchell ignored him.

"You know what we're doing this for?" She asked the Marine as he brought the dart down for a smooth landing – at least as smooth as anything she could have done.

He nodded.

"We're going to take the fight to the Wraith."

Mitchell nodded.

"I don't know the exact plan just yet, but I do know we're going to need some good pilots."

"Do I qualify?"

She smiled.

"I'd say so."

"Then I volunteer."

"I was hoping you would."

And that was that.

So. We have our pilots.

_Now all we need is the plan_


	69. 69

"Colonel Mitchell!"

Melony was walking away from the dart when she heard someone call her name. She turned, waving for Duck to go on ahead and join the others, and watched as Kale came walking up to her, a smile on his handsome face. And clothing on, which told her that he had been in human form for a while.

"Kale." She held her hand out to him and he took it in greeting. "How have you been?"

"Well, thank you." He looked up at the blue sky. "It's a lovely day for flying."

Mitchell smiled.

"Yes. It is."

_She_ had been flying as well, after all.

"We have found more Mok."

_Yes_!

Melony couldn't help but grin at Talon's excitement.

"They told me you and the others were out looking for some. Did you find many?"

"Several. Although we couldn't count one group, because the little ones were hiding behind the others and-"

"_Little_ ones?"

Kale shrugged.

"Young ones, we believe. The adults will not allow us to approach them – in any form."

She felt a wave of excitement from Talon that was similar to the first time he'd ever seen the Mok.

_Ask him where they were. I want to see them_

We have other things to be doing, Talon.

_Come on. Just a quick peek? You don't understand just how rare this is, Hot Shot. A_ baby

She _did_ understand, though. As tightly bonded as she was with him in their meld, she could feel just how important it was to him. And really, the excitement he was feeling was starting to rub off, because she felt a little excited, too. Or maybe she just wanted to see how cute a Mok baby was.

"Can you show me where they were?"

Kale smiled.

"Of course. Will you take a ship? Or do you want me to carry you?"

"Can you find it if I take you in a Jumper?"

He nodded.

"I'll go tell Jack, and we'll go, then. Talon's very excited about this baby."

"More than one," Kale said. "Several."

She smiled, and gestured to the closest Jumper.

"I'll meet you there in a few minutes."

OOOOOOOO

"A what?"

"Some baby Moks – Mok… whatever."

"Is he sure?" Jack asked. "Maybe it's just a dwarf Mok. A _mini_-Mok."

"A mini-Mok?" She shook her head, amused. "He's sure – but he also said that the other Mok wouldn't let any of the Light Ones close to them."

"Well… what makes you think they'll let you anywhere near them?"

Sam Carter walked up while they were talking, and she smiled at the thought of seeing a baby Mok – something that was apparently more rare than a cheerful Jaffa.

"Can I come?"

"Sure."

Jack scowled.

"Hey."

"It's not going to be dangerous, Jack," Mitchell told him. "Besides, if the Mok _are_ breeding here and _weren't_ breeding anywhere else, then we need to see if there's something different about this place than everywhere else – and take that difference with us. Or we're not going to be able to blow up this planet."

It was obvious that Sam hadn't thought of that, because her smile faded immediately.

"We-"

"Fine. Take a look around and see what you can find – but be back before nightfall. And don't get bitten or something."

Mitchell nodded, and she and Carter headed for the Jumper, where Kale was already standing, waiting, with Char beside him. Obviously the other Light One wanted to go as well, and there wasn't any reason to say no.

"Where are _they_ going?"

Sheppard walked up, watching as Mitchell and the others got into the Jumper.

"The naked aliens found something that Colonel Mitchell wanted to check out."

"And Colonel Carter?"

Jack shrugged. He was going to say something about how women couldn't go to the bathroom alone – how were they going to go on a flight by themselves? – but it wasn't appropriate to tease both colonels when they weren't there. And it wasn't as entertaining. Besides, he didn't know Sheppard all that well.

"Never hurts to have back up – just in case they run into something they can't handle."

Of course, with the Light Ones around, Melony and Sam weren't going to run into anything they couldn't handle – unless they did something foolish. And both women were too good for that.

"What did they find?"

Sheppard wasn't all that worried about Mitchell – especially since she had Talon who had more than proven that the symbiote could take care of his host. He was just being nosy. Besides, if it was interesting, maybe he wanted to go, too.

"A possible nursery," Jack answered as the back ramp of the Jumper closed and the ship lifted off only an instant later.

"A what?"

"They found some small Moks – Mok."

"Small… or _baby_…?"

Jack shrugged.

"I'm not a naked alien, Major. Ask them when they get back."


	70. 70

_Author's Note: I'm really sorry about how long this story is taking, but I really do enjoy going into detail and bringing in all sorts of new things when I can._

OOOOOOO

The flight didn't really take all that long by Jumper, and Kale, who was seated in the copilot's seat, gave easy to follow directions. Once they were close to the site (and they were now over a heavily forested area that Mitchell hadn't yet explored by foot or flight), she could see several other Light Ones circling the area like a small group over overly large vultures, high enough to be above the canopy of trees and low enough that Melony didn't have to worry about crashing into one of them.

"There they are," Sam said from her position behind Kale.

"There is a clearing just ahead," Char added, pointing. Because he was a flyer by nature, Char had no problem figuring out where he was while they were in the air – even though he wasn't doing the flying himself.

Melony turned and saw the clearing, and the other Light Ones veered off from their circling to give her space to land. A few moments later, they were settling to the ground – as were the large birds – and Mitchell unbuckled her safety harness, all the while listening to Talon telling her to hurry.

I am hurrying. Stop nagging.

_I'm not nagging_

Yes, you are.

_No, I'm not. Hurry up, I want to see-_

You're nagging.

_Fine. I'm nagging. Let's go!_

She grinned, and followed the others to the rear hatch and down the ramp, where they were met by the other Light Ones; all male, and all naked. While Sam hadn't really become all that accustomed to it, Melony was, and she smiled at the way Carter kept trying to find someplace – _anyplace_ – else to look.

"Which way?" Melony asked Kale, who had come up beside her.

"This way."

He led her and the others into the woods for several hundred feet, the ground slightly muddy and mucky but more or less solid underfoot. Of course, the one time Carter slipped, there were four Light Ones there immediately to help her regain her balance.

"We're getting close," Kale said in a whisper, stopping. They could all hear a soft grunting noise now that they weren't moving, and when Kale moved aside a heavily leafed branch, Melony and Sam both stepped up to look.

Sure enough, there was a herd of Mok in what wasn't really a clearing – although there weren't so many trees. None of them had the sacks hanging from behind their ears – telling everyone looking that they were all female – and of the eight Mok she could see, Mitchell counted five little ones hiding behind the bulk of the adults.

"Oh, they're precious…" Sam whispered, smiling with delight.

They were cute, Melony had to admit, smiling as well. Each of them had jet-black fur – and it wasn't sleek like their parents and the other Mok Mitchell had seen. It was fuzzy and stuck up in every direction – like a hundred little cowlicks. They had huge eyes and long legs, which made them look gangly – although each was the size of a fairly good-sized pony.

_More precious than she realizes_, Talon said. _Get closer. Let's see if the mothers will let us get a better look_

What if they don't?

_Then you climb a tree_

Mitchell sighed, and the others looked at her, curiously.

"Talon wants a better look," she said. "I'm going to see if they'll let me get closer."

"Is that wise?" Kale asked, concerned. "They haven't been very receptive to our presence…"

She shrugged.

"If they start to chase me, I'll run the other direction so they don't come after the rest of you."

"But-"

"Talon wants a look," Melony repeated. "We won't get too close."

Hopefully.

She stepped out from behind the thin barrier of branches and brush, moving slowly and deliberately, not trying to hide from the Mok so they wouldn't think she was stalking them.

Every head went up and looked at her, including the young ones, who peeked at her from behind the considerable bulk of their mothers.

Have I mentioned I don't think this is a good idea?

_Don't worry so much_

Easy for you to say, you're not the one that's going to get trampled when they stampede.

_Mok don't stampede_

How do you know?

_I just do_

It was pretty obvious, though, that he didn't.

_Talk to them… keep them from panicking_

She sighed again, but did as he was told.

"Hey, gals… how's it going…?" Her words were sarcastic, of course, but her tone was gentle and soft. "Yeah… we're just here to take a peek at the little ones… you know… census check and all that…"

The Mok stirred restlessly as she stepped a little closer, until she was only twenty feet or so from the closest of them – this one with a little one that just got cuter the closer Melony got to it. She couldn't help but feel just a little warm and gooey inside at the sight of it – it was adorable, after all – and when she spoke next there wasn't any sarcasm in her words.

"I'm not going to hurt you… I just want to see you…"

The baby's ears came forward at the sound of her voice, although it stayed behind the protecting form of its mother and didn't look like it was going to move any closer to her. The mother, on the other hand, was watching her suspiciously, and Melony really hoped she wasn't going to charge or something, because she was big and close, and there weren't all _that_ many trees around.

Talon gave a mental snort of amusement, but he wasn't willing to risk her, either. He'd seen enough.

_We can go back, Hot Shot_

Good. Melony backed slowly and carefully away from the Mok, retreating back towards the others, who were all watching her quietly. Kale moved the branches aside for her, and only when she'd passed beyond sight of the Mok did she turn around and take a deep breath.

"Have any of your people found any other groups with young?" She asked Kale.

The Light One shook his head.

"We've been all over the planet, too. This was the last place we checked."

"Is there anything different here than there is anywhere else?"

Kale looked at the others, who shook their heads.

"The trees are the same here as everywhere," Char said, speaking up. "They smell the same and look the same. The water is no different than the water that goes through your lava base, and-"

He was interrupted by a crashing sound, and they all jumped, startled. Turning, they watched in surprised amazement as several of the Mok came tearing through the screening branches, cloven hooves tearing up huge clods of the mucky dirt as they thundered closer.

"Look out!"

Kale grabbed Melony, pulling her to the side as the first of the Mok shouldered past, almost stepping on her. The two went rolling into the underbrush and came to a halt when they crashed into a tree trunk.

Mitchell sat up, looking over at the others, who had all managed to safely dodge out of the way of the charging Mok, and rubbed at her elbow.

"Thanks, Kale," she said, taking a deep breath.

The Light One smiled.

"My pleasure."

Oh, sure… the Mok never stampede…

_I've been wrong before_

She snorted and levered herself up to her feet with a little help from Kale.

"Are you alright, Sam?" She asked Carter, who was just getting to her feet as well. She, too, had been pushed out of the way, and now her and those Light Ones who had protected her were all covered in the same muck that Melony and Kale were.

"Yeah. Just fine."

Nothing like being dog-piled by a bunch of naked guys to make an afternoon more entertaining, after all…


	71. 71

Jack and the others were all standing around the small ravine that Melony more or less considered the Parking Lot when she brought the Jumper in for a landing about an hour before sunset on Talonopolis. They were undoubtedly checking out the ships, making sure they hadn't taken any harm for having been piloted by neophyte dart pilots, but all of them walked over to meet them when they landed. And none of them missed the fact that all four of them were covered in drying mud.

_It's pretty hard to miss_, Talon said.

Yeah.

"What on earth happened to you?" Carson asked, immediately concerned and covertly looking for signs of injury on both her and Colonel Carter. Neither woman seemed to be injured – only dirty – but that didn't mean they weren't.

"We found the baby Mok."

"And decided to mud wrestle with them?" Jack asked.

Melony smiled.

"Several of them stampeded," Sam said. "Our direction."

"They attacked you?"

Mitchell shrugged.

"It was probably my fault. Talon wanted a closer look at one of the little ones, and we must have gotten too close for their comfort."

"Are you all right?"

She nodded.

"Just took a tumble."

He looked over at Sam, who was just as muddy, and at Kale and Char. And scowled.

"Well, we're heading back… so why don't you two – four – get checked out by Doctor Beckett when we get back. Just to be sure."

It was indicative of the fact that he considered the Light Ones to be allies that he was starting to look after them, too. Of course, Kale had saved his life, and that would do it every time, Melony supposed.

"We are fine, General O'Neill," Kale said with a smile of appreciation for the concern. "My people are remaining here to keep an eye on the Mok for Colonel Mitchell, and we will remain with them."

Jack nodded.

"You have GDOs?"

"What?"

"They have codes, Jack," Mitchell said. "If they need to come to Atlantis, we'll know it's them knocking on the door."

"Good." He turned to Carter, his brown eyes slightly concerned, although he didn't ask her if she was okay. He could see she hadn't taken serious injury. "Let's get back, then."

They divided into groups to take the Jumpers back. Most of the Jaffa went into the Jumper that Mitchell headed for – mainly because they were far more comfortable with her than they were with the others – and Carson did as well. Tao took the copilot's seat while Melony took the pilot's, even though without the Ancient gene he'd never be able to fly the Jumper.

"You saw the young ones?"

She nodded, taking off right behind Jack, and following him across the lava flow toward the Stargate.

"There were five of them," she said. "All of them looked to be fairly young, but they were definitely not miniature Mok. They were babies."

"Do you think this beam from the Wraith ships will harm them?"

Mitchell shook her head.

"I'll make sure it won't before I allow it to be used on them."

The large Jaffa nodded his head, satisfied. He would, of course, do whatever Mitchell – and Talon – told him to do, but it pleased him that the two of them were in agreement about just how important the Mok were.

"When we reach Atlantis I will inform the others of the young ones."

She smiled, watching as the Stargate came into view and then activated as Jack's Jumper dove towards it. She followed him down.

"They'll be glad to hear of them, I'm sure. We won't have any time to allow them to see them until we're finished with this Wraith problem, but after that, there will be plenty of time."

"They are patient," Tao said. "They will wait."

Hadn't they waited for millennia to find a god who would free them? What was a month to see a Mok?

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"You two are lucky…"

Melony and Sam looked over at each other and then at Carson Beckett, who had just had both of them checked for any injuries from their recent encounter with the Mok. Actually, Carson himself had checked Melony – although he'd been completely professional about it – and one of his doctors had checked Carter, but it was the same thing. Now both women were sitting on the exam beds, just finishing getting dressed so they could return to duty.

"We might not have made it out unscathed if the Light Ones hadn't been there," Melony admitted. "Their reflexes are incredible."

She hadn't even had a chance to register that they were being charged before Kale had already registered it and acted on it.

"Well, next time, you'll know better than to get so close to a mother protecting its young."

He turned to Carter.

"If you feel any aches or pains in the morning, come and get something for them."

"Or have Jack give you a backrub," Melony said with a sly grin.

Sam blushed, but she smiled, too. She knew there was no way Mitchell wouldn't have noticed the change in her relationship with O'Neill, no matter how well they thought they might be hiding it. She knew Jack too well to miss the signs – subtle as they might be.

"I might."

"You can go ahead and leave whenever you're ready, Colonel," Carson said, just a little embarrassed himself.

"Thank you, Doctor Beckett," Sam said, hopping off the table and heading for the door. A shower would be great – and if he wasn't busy, she just might recruit Jack to give her that backrub, after all.

Melony watched her go and then turned back to Carson, who sat down beside her on the bed.

"Are you hungry?"

She nodded.

"Care to join me for dinner?"

"Sounds great."

He stood up, and offered her his arm, and Mitchell took it with a smile. Maybe after they ate, she'd have him give her a backrub, too.


	72. 72

The next morning – Atlantis time – they gathered once more in the larger briefing room. Carter looked a little stiff from her experience with the Mok the day before when she stepped to the front of the room, but she smiled a good morning to everyone and looked ready to start discussing plans.

"Now that the Light Ones have found all the Mok on Talonopolis, we're ready to start clearing the planet," she said to the group in general – although she was looking at Mitchell, in case she had something to say about that. And Melony certainly did.

"I'd still like to see this thing working before I risk it," she said. Unlike Carter, Melony felt fine that morning. Of course, Talon had everything to do with that – that and the fact that Carson had given her one of the best backrubs she'd ever had. "Are you sure it'll even work on non-sentient creatures, and not just humans and the likes?"

"We'll run tests on it," Sam said, nodding, "but Doctor McKay and I are certain it'll beam up anything – not just people."

Rodney nodded his agreement, and Melony was satisfied for the moment, anyways.

"So what is the plan then, Colonel?" She asked. "I know we're supposedly going to trick the Wraith into thinking that Talonopolis is the amazing new feeding ground that they've been dreaming of, but what are you planning on doing once we get them there?"

She had an idea of what was planned, of course, but she wanted to hear it out completely.

Sam had expected this.

"We're going to use the telemetry device on one of the darts to trick the Wraith into thinking we're one of their scouting parties."

"A party that has found the copious feeding ground that they heard about when they woke up," Rodney added.

"From what we know of them, the Wraith will head that direction, probably stopping occasionally to… cull… a world here or there, and they'll be joined by the other hive ships, because this world they're going to be coming to is going to be too much of a temptation to resist. None of them will want to miss out on a chance at Talonopolis."

"You're sure they'll _all_ come?" Jack asked from the seat he'd taken next to Melony. "What's to keep our group from not telling the others, so they have a monopoly on the really good place?"

"It doesn't work that way, General O'Neill," McKay said, before Sam could answer. "The Wraith aren't like that. It's not a society where the different hive ships all strive to be superior or more successful than the others. They keep in close contact with each other – and will always share a particularly fine feeding area."

"Not to mention," Daniel said, speaking up. "The Wraith also seem to have some kind of telepathic thing going on… the other hive ships probably couldn't hide the existence of such a spot even if they wanted to."

"What one hive ship knows, they all know?" Melony asked.

Daniel nodded, as did Sam and McKay.

"Not to mention, we're going to try and broadcast it to all of them at the same time."

"So what's going to keep them from rushing to be the first there?" Jack asked.

"What they'll do is send scouts," Sam said. "To check things out."

"Scouts?"

She nodded.

"As far as we can tell, the Wraith aren't really all that good at tactics and fighting – nothing like we are."

"They haven't had to learn," McKay said. "Being immortal will always make you a better warrior than someone you can kill with a touch."

"They're not _immortal_," Sheppard said. "They die."

"Well, they die if you shoot them enough times," Rodney said. "But if all you have is a pitchfork, you're not going to have much chance against them, now are you? And that would make them seem pretty immortal to those that survive the culling…"

True enough.

"So… they'll send scouts?" Jack asked, more to pull the attention back to the topic at hand. He, personally, agreed with Sheppard. The Wraith would die. He'd seen it.

McKay nodded.

"Before they commit themselves, they'll want to see what they're looking at – what kind of resistance they'll get."

"So what do we show them?" Melony asked. "Do we dress the Jaffa up as farmers? Or leave them as they are?"

Tao scowled at the thought of dressing as a farmer, but Sam nodded.

"If they don't think the Jaffa are going to be a threat to them, it'd be easier to take them all out – and the hive ships with the smaller populations won't hold back to see what happens, and the Wraith will be overly confident."

"That makes sense," Melony said, nodding. "So then what?"

"The Wraith will activate the Stargate – effectively trapping the inhabitants of the planet – and will start to strafe the settlements with the darts, beaming up people for later consumption…"

"Why does it turn my stomach every time someone says that?" Sheppard asked, frowning.

"Because it's disgusting," Weir said. "Then what happens, Colonel Carter?"

"Then the Jaffa and the other volunteers dodge into the lava flows – which will protect them from the darts – and we have a few pilots swoop in and beam them into our darts, and send the darts through the gate device Colonel Mitchell and Talon will have prepared."

"I thought you wanted this device to be situated in the lava base?" Jack asked.

"That's the best place for it," Sam agreed.

"That'd take some pretty fancy flying – to get the darts into the lava base."

"Fancier than you'd think," she said, nodding, "Because they need to beam in the 'farmers' at the same time, and then get through the device before we activate the other ones."

"What other ones?" Tao asked.

"We have two other devices. One is the shield-dropping device that Talon engineered. The other will be a bomb."

"But not just _any_ bomb," McKay said, seeing a look of doubt cross the First Prime's features. "A huge one – powered by the Light One's power sources and amplified by those crystals your people brought. Situated in the lava base – in the hot room, which is the most unstable part of that system – we'll set it off as soon as the Wraith shields are all dropped."

"And the people are all evacuated." Sam added.

"Yes, of course." Rodney shrugged. "The planet will go up in an instant, taking the Wraith with it. And not just the darts on the planet, either. This explosion is going to be huge. _Huge_."

"Define huge," Jack said.

"Big Bang huge…" McKay said, smugly.


	73. 73

"Big bang?" Jack repeated.

"That's pretty big," Melony said. "An explosion large enough to blow up a planet is bound to mess with more than just _that_ planet…"

Sam nodded.

"It will, but there isn't anything else in the system to be damaged – the sun if far enough away that it should be able to simply absorb any impact waves that manage to reach that far."

"And it'll block the wave from continuing even further," Rodney added. "At least in that direction."

"So we're not going to blow up any other planets with this?"

Sam shook her head.

"Which is another reason we _really_ wanted to use Talonopolis. It's as isolated as any planet we could have hoped for – which is probably why the Mok managed to survive here when they were extinct everywhere else."

"Because no one could find them…" Daniel said.

"Yes."

Melony frowned as she and Talon contemplated the plan that had been laid out to them.

"We have a problem, however, Colonel," she said, finally. "I can't enlarge the escape device to take in a dart and assemble the shield dropping mechanism before the Wraith reach Talonopolis…"

Sam smiled.

"I'll take care of the shield dropper, Colonel."

"Can you?"

Melony didn't doubt her, but she hadn't actually considered that Sam might be able and willing to step forward and take over one of the tasks.

Sam nodded.

"I've studied it more than enough to understand the technology behind it. I can set it up." She hesitated. "There is one problem, though…"

"What's that?" Jack asked.

"The trigger to the shield dropping device is going to have to be put on a dart. And it's going to need to be activated off the planet's surface. Well out of orbit."

"Why's that?" Daniel asked.

"Because of the lava flows," Rodney said. "If we activate the shield dropper device on the _surface_, the planet itself will shield any Wraith hive ships that are on the far side of the planet. The flows are impervious to scans and radar, and pretty much every kind of transmission we've ever tried – and we're pretty sure it will block the shield dropper's signal as well."

"So someone will have to get far enough away from the planet to keep that from happening…" Jack said, understanding.

"Yes."

"And then haul ass back to the lava base to get through the escape device before the planet blows." Sam told them, looking worried. "It'll be close, because we don't know how long we'll have before the Wraith can get their shields back up, and we don't want to wait too long to detonate the planet."

"I'll do that," Jack said.

Melony frowned.

"I can do it."

"You're going to be too busy getting the Jaffa off the planet," Jack said. He already knew that she planned on being one of the pilots of the darts that collected the Jaffa in the lava base. And he was aware that she was a good enough pilot to be able to. "I can do it."

"But-"

"Melony." His brown eyes met hers, and she knew he wasn't going to back down. "I'll do it."

_He's probably the best pilot we have_… Talon told her. The symbiote had seen all the pilots – including Sheppard – and he'd already decided that Jack O'Neill would have the best chance of completing that dangerous task.

With Talon behind the choice of Jack, Melony didn't really have any choice. She was going to have her hands filled with collecting the Jaffa, and there wasn't anyone she'd trust more for what was probably the most important part of the plan.

Finally, she nodded.

"Okay, you do it. But haul ass back to the lava base as quick as you can…"

She'd be loath to leave until she knew he was on his way, after all.

Sam released a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. It was important that they all agreed on who was doing what long before the Wraith arrived above Talonopolis. Things would go smoother that way.

"So we have the plan," she said, addressing the group. "Are there any questions?"

"Who's doing the flying?" Sheppard asked. "I volunteer."

Sam nodded.

"We're going to need five darts for the Jaffa pick up. They'll be going into the lava base in intervals, 'scooping' up Jaffa, and sent through the escape device only moments apart."

"Which means five of the best pilots," Melony said. "Aside from Jack, who will already be above the planet."

Sam nodded.

"I will pilot one of the darts," Teal'c said.

"As will I," Tao said, surprising no one.

"I have one, and Major Sheppard has one," Melony said. "And Corporal Sanders will pilot the other."

"_Duck_?" Ford asked, surprised. "Is he _that_ good?"

Sheppard nodded, even as Mitchell spoke.

"He's that good."

Sam didn't let them have any discussion over it.

"Any other questions?"

Mitchell raised her hand.

"You're going to be working on the shield dropper, and I'm going to be working on the escape route, so to speak… who's going to help Doctor Beckett get my Mok off the planet?"

Rodney raised his hand, frowning.

"I am."

Sam nodded.

"He hasn't had as much experience with the technology Talon and you have engineered, so while he could probably make himself useful helping me, he definitely knows more about the Wraith technology than anyone other than myself – so he'll help make sure that your Mok and the baby Mok are safely integrated into the darts before the Wraith arrive."

Melony looked over at Rodney, and then at Carson, and finally shrugged. Yeah. Those two would make sure her Mok population was safe. She could trust them.

"Then let's get to work," she said.

They had a lot to do, and not all that much time.


	74. 74

The Jaffa were almost without exception in the main auditorium area they had been assigned, and it only took a moment to gather together those who had been elsewhere. Talon had Tao assemble them in a briefing room – a very large one that would hold all of them but wasn't filled with their supplies and no other distraction. Melony stood at the front of the room, watching as they filed in and took seats in the chairs that had been set out for them. Three hundred Jaffa. All of them strong, proud and competent – and all of them watching her expectantly, waiting for the word.

She wondered how many would live through the upcoming confrontation, and felt a pang at the thought of losing any of them.

_We're not going to_

But what if we _do_? She asked, silently, none of her doubt showing on her expression, although Talon could feel it plainly. We don't have the right to ask them to-

_They're better off now than they ever have been, Hot Shot,_ Talon told her. _They know how we feel about them, and this is the first time in their history that they'll ever be going into a battle that they actually volunteered for. You'll see…_

She wasn't all that comforted – of course, _she_ was the one who had asked for them to volunteer.

_You didn't even want to bring them in on it,_ he reminded her.

But I did it, anyways.

_They'll be fine_

You can't promise that.

_But I can promise we'll do everything we can to make it happen_

And so they would. For that matter, they already had. She nodded, and took a deep breath. _Talon_ would actually be addressing the Jaffa, not Melony, but she didn't mind that. It wasn't completely necessary – most of the Jaffa were used to having Mitchell speak to them instead of Talon – but it would be more effective for those who didn't know her all that well, and there were a lot of them in this group.

She looked over at Tao, who had just entered the room with the last of the stragglers, and he nodded, silently telling her that they were all there.

Here we go, hey?

Talon gave her a wordless reassurance, and then Melony felt the familiar jarring as the symbiote took over and shunted her to the little place in her consciousness that she was put when he had control of her body.

Talon raised his hand for silence, and the slight murmuring of the few conversations that had been taking place amongst the Jaffa stopped immediately as three hundred faces turned to give their full attention to the system lord. Their system lord.

"As you are all aware," Talon began, his deep voice easily heard by all the Jaffa in the room. "We're preparing for a major offensive against a previously unseen foe."

There were nods, but no one said anything, and Talon continued.

"This foe – who refer to themselves as the Wraith – are literally life suckers. If they get their hands on you, they will literally suck the life force out of you."

Now there were assorted murmurs among the Jaffa, who had all heard the rumor, even though this was the first confirmation of it. Talon let them discuss it for a moment, pleased that he didn't hear any fear in the tone of voices – and not at all surprised about that. They were simply interested, and surprised, perhaps, since many had probably thought it was just a story.

Talon raised his hand again, and the murmuring stopped.

"So, we will make sure they don't get close enough to touch us. Understand?"

They smiled. A truly fearful sight, but one that made the little part that was Melony smile as well. Talon continued.

"The Tau'ri need us. And you have responded to that call. But that doesn't mean I expect you to die for them – or for me. You're not expendable, and I will be incredibly annoyed if any of you are hurt."

There were nods, and a few surprised looks. Which Talon understood completely. The Jaffa – who knew that Talon was different from the rest of the system lords – although not all of those who were in the room just then had really had a chance to have that difference shown to them like it was being just then – were gratified that for a change they were being looked after, instead of being simply used as shock troops. Disposable shock troops, at that. Talon cared about them and their welfare, a distinctive change from their former masters.

Again, Talon continued.

"We have a plan. It's risky and complicated, and I want to make sure that all of you understand your roles before we leave this room. So I'm going to go over it with you, and make sure you understand what the Tau'ri want you to do. And then I'm going to give you the option of changing your minds about being here, and allow you the chance to return to your homes if you decide you don't want anything to do with it."

Now the room was completely silent, and they were all looking at her intently. She could see curiosity in their expressions and fierce determination in the eyes of those closest to her. And knew without Talon telling her that none of them would opt out of the plan. No matter how dangerous or tricky it was.

Talon looked at Tao, and nodded, and the First Prime turned the lights low in the room. At the same time, the blank wall behind Melony was suddenly lit up as a slide projector that had been set in place before the meeting was turned on. The first picture on the 'screen' was a Wraith dart.

As the Jaffa looked on and listened carefully, Talon began to tell them the plan.

OOOOOOOO

"You didn't really expect any of them would go home, did you?"

It was several hours later, well into Atlantis' night, and Melony, back in control of her body and feeling wiped out and guilty, had retreated from the briefing room and had gone to look for Jack to let him know that the Jaffa were behind the plan one hundred percent. It had, of course, always been possible that once they'd heard the plan the Jaffa would decide not to participate, although Jack had obviously anticipated the reaction of her Jaffa as well as Talon and Melony had.

She shook her head, and sighed. They were sitting in his quarters – well, she was sprawled on his bed and he was sitting on the edge of it – both of them holding a cup of coffee. She had been slightly surprised that Sam Carter wasn't in his room as well, but hadn't asked about it, and Jack hadn't said anything in explanation.

"I suppose not. But I could have hoped…"

Jack nodded, reaching out with his free hand and rubbing her back lightly.

"It's not so easy being the most powerful system lord ever, is it?"

"It wasn't _easy_ being in charge of SG-2…" Melony said, closing her eyes and letting Talon deal with the tension headache she was getting. "It's overwhelming to be responsible for a billion Jaffa."

"There's only _three hundred_ here," Jack told her, reaching out and taking her coffee cup from her hand before she spilled it. She was relaxing nicely – from the casual backrub he was giving her, and he had a feeling Talon was doing something as well – and he didn't want her to spill her coffee on his bed. "Just worry about _them_ for now, okay?"

She nodded, but didn't open her eyes.

"I am."

It wasn't exactly what he'd meant, but he smiled, and set her cup on the stand beside his bed, reaching over and taking a blanket from the bottom of the bed and covering her with it. It wouldn't be the first time she fell asleep in his bed – and he hoped it wouldn't be the last.

"Get some sleep, Melony," he whispered, leaning over and kissing the back of her head before standing up and heading for the door. "I'll see you in the morning."

She mumbled something, but she didn't move – Talon had taken over and was putting her to sleep so she wouldn't toss and turn all night as she'd expected to. She needed her rest, after all. The hard part was just beginning.


	75. 75

_Author's Note: Sorry about the wait on this, I was actually in pain (was stung by a bee). Right on the finger!_

OOOOOOOOO

Despite the fact that she and Talon had a lot to do, Melony insisted that she be on hand when the Jaffa moved over to Talonopolis. Most of them approved of the name – although they didn't actually understand the name. They just approved that it was named after their System Lord. Of course, it was going to be blown to smithereens in a couple of weeks, but they were probably already considering naming someplace else the same thing.

The Jaffa 'village' was going to be in the wooded area right outside the bolthole that Ford and Teyla had found on their initial exploration of the lava tubes. This area was ideal for what they had in mind. For one thing, it was wooded enough that they would have plenty of resources for any fires they might need or anything they might need to build. For another, it was close to the lava tubes so the Jaffa would be able to bolt for the safety of the flows when the Wraith came (if they came0 without needing to worry about a dart following them in. The tunnel wasn't big enough for a dart – only the original tunnel was.

And then there were the coffee bushes.

Melony had developed quite a fondness for the plant, and like the Mok, she and Talon had never found any elsewhere – and Talon had been around a lot longer than his host had. The Jaffa were going to have a lot to do for the first few days, setting up their pretend village, but then they'd have ample free time, and when asked, they'd readily agreed to harvest the plants for her. They'd bundle them up and send them through the gate to Atlantis with some of the techs when they departed.

As for the village itself, it was a stroke of genius. They weren't going to have time to build houses. Not enough houses to make it look like the Jaffa had been living on Talonopolis for any great length of time – which was the illusion they wanted to give. So instead, Ford had suggested they just use tents – covered with some wood or dirt or sticks or brush – anything that would make them look less like temporary housing. Since the Wraith weren't going to know the difference between a tent and a true house – they lived in ships, after all – the tents would work great, and would be easily carried and set up in any position they wanted to put them in. Without a great deal of effort.

She and Talon watched from the entrance to the bolthole that first day, leaning against a tree with Sheppard and Jack standing beside her. They had been the ones that had dropped the Jaffa off, saving them the trouble of walking from the Stargate by simply ferrying them in several trips from Atlantis.

"They sure are disciplined," John said, admiringly as they watched Tao start ordering Jaffa tent builders where to set up each tent so there would be 'streets' and spaces for town courtyards and 'marketplaces'.

Mitchell nodded.

"Tao's going to drill them in evacuation procedures, too. When the Wraith come, we're not going to let them be caught off guard, and we're going to make sure they all know what to do and where to go."

"Good thinking," Jack said, approving.

"Major Sheppard, I need a volunteer to act as liaison between the Jaffa and the scientists – so they know how many can be beamed into the darts at one time."

"I volunteer."

Mitchell smiled.

"I was hoping you would,"

It would save her the trouble of volunteering him.

_We have things we need to get started on, Hot Shot_

Melony nodded, looking over at Jack.

"Talon and I are going to get started on the escape device. Do you need me for anything before I vanish?"

O'Neill shook his head.

"Nope."

Jack had his own assignment – self-imposed, of course. He was going take one of the darts and practice some close quarter flying, just to prepare for the lava tube. Melony would make sure the escape device was large enough for the dart, but Jack and the other pilots would have to fly it in themselves – and he wanted to make sure it wasn't as impossible as it seemed. Then, when the Jaffa were settled enough that Tao was free, Jack and the other pilots would spend the rest of their free time flying through a maze that was being built. One that would be as close to the lava tube as they could get without actually flying the tube. Which would be too dangerous, of course.

"If you need me, I'll be in the cavern."

He nodded.

"If you need me, I'll be _above_ the cavern."

He reached out – at the last minute decided he wasn't going to ruffle her blonde hair – and slapped her shoulder, instead.

"See you soon."

"Yeah."

She wouldn't, though. She headed back into the lava tube, heading for the cavern where all the equipment she and Talon would need to work on the device had been stacked against a far wall – and the device itself (minus the frame that would actually create the terminus of the wormhole).

They checked the cavern for the most optimal location – one that would give the pilots as much room to sight on the portal device as possible – and finally decided on the spot. With one of the darts literally right behind her, they would have no trouble with the dimensions of the craft, and with Sam Carter and Rodney McKay as backup if they needed it (and they didn't think they'd need any help) there shouldn't be too much trouble, despite how complicated their task was.

OOOOOO

"It really shouldn't be that complicated…"

Beckett frowned and looked over at Rodney.

"I'd still like to be sure we do it _correctly_."

They were moving the entire population of a previously thought to be extinct animal, after all, and Carson knew how much the Mok meant to Melony and Talon. He'd hate to have to tell them that he and Rodney had botched it.

"It's not that difficult, Carson," McKay told him, annoyed. "We take a dart, scoop up the Mok with the beam thing, and then when we have them in a safe place, we reanimate them, and they live happily ever after…"

"Are you going to fly it?" Beckett asked, dubiously. His own piloting skills weren't that impressive – although he'd seen Rodney flying the Jumpers and knew he wasn't much better.

McKay shook his head.

"We'll have one of the others do that. We're _supervising_. That means we don't actually do anything. We just tell them what to do and when to do it."


	76. 76

"Will it work?"

Sam looked at the small group of people standing around her and the Wraith dart and gave them a nod that looked far more confident than she actually felt.

"Yes."

"You think."

Jack hadn't been fooled at all – but there was no reason he would have been. He knew Sam better than any of them.

She nodded again.

"It _should_. Doctor Weir and Daniel have translated everything, and the telemetry worked with all the darts that we have in the parking lot. There's no reason to believe it won't work with the rest of the Wraith ships."

"It will," Daniel said, just as confidently. "The big thing now will be to see if they fall for it."

They were three days into the plan, and they were ready to send off the message to the Wraith that a feeding ground had been found. A very _special_ feeding ground that might end up leading to even more just like it – if they all came and helped subdue the population. A population of large people – humanoids, but extraordinary life forms with a life force that was more potent than any they'd seen before. Come and help, but make sure you don't jump the gun and warn the population of the danger they were in.

The Wraith would fall for it, Daniel and Elizabeth knew. They'd explored their language and in doing so had learned more about the species than anyone save Carson Beckett – who knew far more about their physiology than anyone. The Wraith weren't going to expect a trap. No one would even dream of trying to lure them to a planet, they would be sure, because they were well aware that they were the prominent predator in the universe. Did a mouse ask the cat to come to the lair? It was the same thing.

And Daniel and Elizabeth knew that it was that very arrogance that was going to be their downfall.

"Light it up," Jack ordered, nodding to Sam.

She went into the dart, and toggled a couple of switches. A moment later the machinery whirred to life, and the fake scouting report was uploaded into the dart's mainframe. Once complete, it wouldn't take long for it to be sent to its hive ship – and then sent off to the other hive ships. After double-checking that it had been accepted, Sam climbed out of the dart and rejoined the others. There were some notable absences in the group; Rodney McKay and Carson Beckett were off talking to a couple of pilots who had been volunteered for Mok gathering, and Colonel Mitchell hadn't come out of the main cavern in three days. Not surprising anyone who knew just how complicated the device was that she and Talon were working on.

"Did it work?" Teyla asked. The Athosian was standing next to Teal'c, who hadn't been far from her any chance they'd had to be together, Carter had noticed. Although she definitely hadn't asked the Jaffa about it. Teal'c's love life was none of her business!

Sam nodded.

"We'll keep an eye on the Wraith and make sure they change their direction sometime soon."

"And if they don't fall for it?" Teyla asked.

"Then we abort the plan," Jack said. "And we get the Jaffa, the Athosians, and as many of Kale's people that want to come and get them all back to the relative safety of our own system, and blow Atlantis – and the rest of the planet, too, maybe."

They'd worry about that when it came to it. Sam had told him that they'd know in only a couple of days if the Wraith were going to fall for their plan or not. He would wait that long.

"So what do we do now?" Weir asked.

"We wait," Daniel answered.

Of course, Sam wasn't going to just stand around waiting. She was going to work under the assumption that the Wraith were going to fall for their plan, and she was going to start rigging up the shield dropping device. At the same time, Rodney McKay was supposed to be finished with the Mok in the next day or so – it was taking longer than he'd expected it to; Carson Beckett had wanted to double and triple check that the Mok would be safe in their computerized stasis, even though Rodney had assured him they'd be fine.

Sam could understand why Dr. Beckett was being careful. Aside from the fact that he was – as far as she could tell – a thorough and meticulous man, he was also dealing with a creature that was not only extinct everywhere else, but was also near and dear to Colonel Mitchell. Who Sam knew Carson Beckett was head over heels for.

At any rate, when they finished transporting the Mok, Rodney McKay was going to start rigging the explosions in the hot room, which was a room that led off from the main cavern and seemed to be the closest that they'd get to the volcanic activity of the planet. While they wouldn't actually put the explosives in place – Rodney was a scientist, not a demolition man – he'd set up the crystals for the most potent explosion. And Sam had been doing some calculations. It _was_ going to be huge.

"I'd better get back to that shield device," Sam said to the others. Standing around wasn't going to get anything done, and the dart didn't need her help to send off its message. By now it was probably already on the way.

They nodded, and dispersed, taking her statement as a dismissal – more or less – and Jack fell into step beside her as they all walked back towards the bolthole that she'd parked the dart outside of. Not the same one that the Jaffa 'settlers' were living by, though.

"Do you really think it'll work?" he asked her softly, his hand reaching for hers since there wasn't anyone behind them to see the gesture of affection. Not that there was really anyone around who could call him on it, but Jack was of a mind that you lead by example, and if he and Carter kept their relationship to themselves, the others who may or may not have paired up – and O'Neill knew there were a few couples by now – would follow their example and do the same.

She took his hand, leaning against him slightly as they walked into the dim lava tube.

"I think it will, yes. The Wraith are far to arrogant and greedy to pass up a chance at something like the Jaffa."

He nodded, and let it drop. If she were that certain, then he'd be certain, too. They walked the rest of the way in silence, although neither of them made a move to let go of the other's hand.

OOOOOOOOOO

"Got a sec?"

Mitchell looked up from the diagram she had drawn on a huge sheet of paper and placed on the floor. Jack had seen it a couple of times, and knew it that the calculations and complicated equations that were scribbled all over it were the points that were going to make it possible for her to turn whatever frame she ended up making into an actual Stargate. Something he never would have been able to imagine, if not for the fact that he'd already seen it work once and knew it could again. Sitting beside that was a cup that had been filled with coffee, he was certain.

"Sure, Jack. What's up?"

She didn't get off the floor, where she'd been calculating something, but she did lean back away from her paper, silently telling him that he had her full attention. Jack thought she looked tired, but not as tired as Carter had looked before he'd sent her off to sleep on one of the cots they'd put in the lava tube that led to the hot room. Of course, Melony had Talon to keep her alert, ad Jack wondered how long she could go without sleep and remain able to function.

"I thought I'd let you know that Carter sent off the message to the Wraith about an hour ago."

Melony nodded.

"That's good to know. Did she happen to say how long it'd take for us to know if they were going to fall for it?"

"A couple of days."

"Great. Thanks, Jack."

"You doing okay?"

"Yeah."

"Anything I can do to help?"

She grinned. They both knew that he wasn't going to be much help to her.

"I've got it, thanks."

"How about a refill?"

"Generals don't fetch coffee for Colonels."

"They can sometimes."

It wouldn't be the first time, after all.

"Then, yes, I'd appreciate it."


	77. 77

_Author's Note: This one is going to be short, sorry!_

OOOOOOOOO

"Are you going to work on that all night?"

Mitchell looked up and saw Daniel standing close by, watching her. She was flipping through pages of hand-written notes, equations and sketches, and placed her finger at the place she had been reading so she wouldn't lose her place.

"It's night?"

Daniel smiled.

"Yeah."

She looked down at the papers she'd been reading, and suddenly felt exhausted.

_Take a break, Hot Shot_, Talon told her. _We're making good time_

"I guess I'll take a break, then…"

"Good." He waited for her, as if to make sure that she wasn't going to just wait for him to leave so she could get back to work, and when she moved her hand from the marked page – after marking it with a piece of scratch paper – and standing up, he smiled again. "Are you hungry?"

"Starved. Are you cooking?"

Daniel was a very good cook, as Melony had discovered long ago.

"No."

Bah.

"They brought in some stuff from Atlantis. It's not bad."

At that point, she was hungry enough that she'd almost eat her own cooking.

_Perish the thought_

Hush.

Talon chuckled in her head, and Melony followed Daniel – and her nose – to the other side of the large cavern, which was set up as a soup kitchen of sorts. There was a large table filled with steaming pans of food. Plain stuff; a roast, some baby potatoes that had been obtained from the farmers on the planet that Kale and the Light Ones were from a short while ago, proving that the Atlanteans had done a fair job of providing for themselves once their military rations had been depleted. Of course, the chocolate cake wasn't something that they would have been able to make with what they'd traded for, so the rations that Jack and SG-1 had brought with them were just as welcomed.

"Have you eaten?" She asked as she started loading a plate with potatoes and roast. The vegetable was corn, and Melony hated corn, so she was going to pass on that – but that cake wasn't safe.

Daniel nodded.

"I ate when Sam and Jack did."

There weren't a lot of people in the cavern just then; Sam was off in a corner working on her own equations and notes. Jack was sitting at a table chatting with Teal'c, who was working his way through a large meal, and that's the direction Daniel and Melony walked once she'd filled a cup with fresh coffee. O'Neill moved over and gave her space, reaching up and taking her coffee so she wouldn't spill it on him – and stealing a sip in the process, even though he had his own cup.

"How goes the gate building?"

"I'm still working on making sure the area will be large enough for the darts."

"Have you programmed the exit location yet?" Daniel asked.

She shook her head.

"I'll have to go back to Atlantis for that – and I think I'm going to need Kale's help."

"Why?"

"Because we're going to be coming out in open air, and for me to calibrate that as the termination point for the synthetic wormhole the device makes, I need to have a chance to actually set it up there. Which means I need access to it."

"Which means you need to hover."

"Exactly. The Jumper won't work, but Kale – or one of the other Light Ones, if he's busy – can hold me in place for as long as I need to make sure the GPS is properly adjusted."

"How high up are we talking?" Jack asked, curiously.

"I'm not sure, yet. I'm going to do a projection in a couple of days and see if I can figure out just how fast the darts will be exiting the wormhole. That way I know how much time we'll need to regain control and keep from splattering ourselves in the ocean."

"Or crashing into the city," Daniel said.

"That, too."

"Are you going to be able to do all that before the Wraith arrive?" Jack asked.

She nodded.

"It'll be close, but yeah. I'm going to take a break for tonight, though."

Since she'd been working practically nonstop for the last four days, they were glad to hear that.

"There are cots set up in the tube that leads to the hot room," Jack told her, getting up. "Eat and get some rest, and I don't want to see you back at your little project until morning."

She rolled her eyes, but nodded.

"Yes, Sir, General, Sir."

The words were sarcastic, and the salute left a lot to be desired – especially since she had a slice of bread in her hand – but he didn't mind. He knew she'd do what he said. This time, anyways.

"And don't you forget it, _Colonel_."

He smiled, slapped her on the shoulder and left her to finish her meal with Daniel and Teal'c for company. He had other things to do, after all.


	78. 78

"They fell for it."

Melony and Sam looked up from one of the equations that they had been working on with the shield-dropping device. While they'd been figuring it out, Daniel and Elizabeth had entered the cavern – and had gated in from Atlantis, since that's where they had been – and had pretty much snuck up on them. Of course, the two had been so preoccupied with the problem, a herd of elephants could have snuck up on them just then.

"What?"

"The Wraith," Daniel said, his expression torn between excitement and nervousness. "They fell for the trick. The hive ship that was heading for Atlantis changed course a few hours ago – and we're _positive_ this is where they're heading."

"All of them?" Sam asked.

"We don't know for sure," Weir said. "Grodin's keeping an eye on them as well as we can – we don't know where all of the hive ships are, after all. But once we know, we'll let you know, too."

Sam looked over at Melony, who was nodding.

"How long do we have, do you think?"

"Probably another seven to ten days. Maybe less – but certainly no more than that."

"Then we'd better get to work," she said. There was a lot to do, still. "Thanks, you guys."

Elizabeth nodded.

"Is there anything we can do on this end?"

"Nothing I can think of."

But there was plenty to get done.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day the Mok were relocated. And while she had a lot to do, there was no way Melony or Talon wanted to miss watching this. Tao expressed a desire to watch as well, so Mitchell and her First Prime joined Carson, Rodney and Kale in a Jumper, and they flew out to the area that the largest 'herd' of Mok were.

McKay asked Melony to pilot the Jumper, and he kept in constant radio contact with the pilot of the Wraith dart – a Lieutenant who had been the top consideration of the pilots that hadn't been chosen to fly the Jaffa collecting mission. At McKay's command, the Wraith dart swooped in over the unsuspecting Mok and the pilot toggled the device that started beaming them up. A moment later the Mok were gone, and McKay had a smug look on his face. Which wasn't really all that uncommon, since he looked smug quite often.

"They are alright?" Tao demanded, looking at the now empty clearing.

"They're fine," Carson said. "We thought that we were going to need more than one dart for the operation, but the Wraith machines, or databases, or whatever you want to call them, are capable of holding a lot more information – in this case _Mok_ – than we originally thought. The whole population will be held in stasis until a new home is found for them, and they won't even know what's happened."

Tao didn't look all that convinced, but Melony – and Talon – was. Obviously Carson and McKay hadn't rushed into this, and they both had done their homework on it. She trusted Carson to do a thorough job, and she was willing to admit that McKay probably knew what he was doing.

_Just don't say that out loud,_ Talon requested. _I'm not sure there's room on the Jumper for all of us_ and _his ego_

Melony hid the grin that tried to break loose.

I have no intention of it.

"You're sure you found all of them?" She asked, covering the amusement with the question.

Kale nodded, and answered this one. The Light Ones, after all, had taken on the responsibility of locating the Mok for Beckett and McKay.

"We've covered the entire area of the planet, Melony. They're all accounted for – although once we're finished here, my people will go back and double check – because we know how important they are to you."

He had, actually, offered his planet as a possible habitat for the Mok – or even a small portion of the population of them – but with the Dark Ones running loose on that planet, Melony didn't want to risk the Mok coming into contact with them, and didn't think it fair to ask the Light Ones to become full-time custodians of a race of creatures they'd never even heard of before.

"Thank you, Kale."

The Light One simply smiled an acknowledgement and continued looking out the front window at the Wraith dart, which was turned and facing the Jumper.

_They'd probably have a collective apoplexy if they knew we were using their ships for our own purposes_, Talon said, smugly.

Even more that we're going to use them against them in the first place.

Melony didn't feel at all guilty.

"I've seen enough," she said, smiling at Carson and Rodney. "You guys don't need me hovering over you while you work, and I have things to get working on. Drop me off before you head to the next spot, will you?"

"Of course."

Kale and Tao would stay and watch, but Melony had a gate to build.

OOOOOOOOOO

"So where are you going to put the Mok?" Sam asked.

Melony had just returned to the lava base and was waiting for a fresh pot of coffee to brew. At the same time, Sam had decided to take a break from her own work, and the two had been discussing the Mok.

"There are a few places to choose from – both on this side of the gate and on the other. We might just split them up a little bit so we don't have them all on the same planet – just in case something happens to one population we wouldn't lose them all."

"But you don't know how they breed, do you?" Sam recalled that someone had mentioned that.

Melony shook her head.

"That's something we'll have to figure out."

"Well, once we're done here, you'll have time to…"

Which was exactly what she and Talon had decided, too.

"Yeah. I might see if the Tok'ra have any suggestions – maybe call in a couple of favors."

It was Carter's turn to nod.

"They have some brilliant people."

"So does Earth. I might call in some favors _there_, too, and see about getting a couple of geneticists to help."

"I'm sure you'll be given anyone you ask for."

There was no doubt in Sam's mind that they owed her and Talon that much, at least – just for what they'd done to the Goa'uld. Never mind nipping the Wraith problem in the bud long before it reached Earth. Well, provided everything goes well, anyways.


	79. 79

The next week was a flurry of activity for everyone involved. Nonessential personnel were gathered up and sent off to Earth – as were a few of Teyla's people; those that were willing. Most of these weren't – they didn't want to leave their homes or be separated from loved ones in the event that something would go wrong, but many of the children were sent off with a small group of guardians. Parents didn't like the thought of being separated from their offspring, obviously, but they liked the thought of that offspring being killed even less.

"Do I have to go?" Jinto asked his father one last time, his eyes pleading for the answer to be no, although he knew it wasn't going to be.

Halling, predictably, nodded.

"I want you to be safe."

"I want to stay with you."

"I know – and I want to be with you. But right now that isn't possible – and Colonel Mitchell's people will treat you very well – I promise."

The Athosian looked at Melony, obviously hoping for a little help. Which she was more than willing to give. She came over and stood by Jinto as well, smiling down at him.

"You have to go, Jinto. I already told Doctor Fraiser to expect you – and she'll be dreadfully disappointed if you don't show up."

"Plus you have to give her my letter," Daniel added. He'd given Jinto a letter to pass on to Janet – telling her that he was fine and everything was going according to plan. She, of course, knew all about the plan, and had tried to get Hammond to allow her to go to Atlantis where she said she might be of help. Hammond, however, had told her she was needed where she was – and that was final.

"It's important that you're not here, Jinto," Melony said, reaching out and touching the boy's cheek. "We can't be worrying about you _and_ the Wraith. That's too much. So if you're safe then we can concentrate on just the Wraith – and hopefully have you back here in a few days."

If everything went according to plan, of course. Otherwise, he and the rest of the children – and the few adults – would become permanent guests of the SGC or one of the Jaffa held planets.

Grudgingly the boy went. He didn't want to, but he while he'd argue with his father – what boy didn't – he wouldn't dream of arguing with Mitchell and Talon.

The gate engaged, and with a final look back, he stepped through it with the others.

There was a relieved sigh in the room when the last of the noncombatants left, and the gate shut down, and Daniel looked at Grodin.

"How much longer do we have?"

"The Wraith are converging now," the man answered, looking at his screen. They had several listening stations that they'd put into use – technically, the _Ancients_ had had them, but the Atlanteans were using them, now. "It's chilling to see how many there really are…"

It was chilling to think of them all heading in the same direction as well, but no one said it.

"The pilots are ready," Jack said, confidently. He'd been taking them through an obstacle course that was designed to look exactly like the lava tubes, and had made them all drill with the Jaffa so each group of Jaffa would know who was picking up whom. It had been surprisingly easy – at least it had seemed surprising until Jack realized that the Jaffa were just as disciplined as any of his troops home were – more so, even.

"The shield dropper is ready, too," Sam reported, nodding. "We're setting up the explosives in the morning – although we won't actually hook them to the crystals until the last minute – to avoid any accidents."

Rodney nodded.

"The crystals are in place, however, and I really think this explosions going to be even nigger than I first suspected – the more calculations I do."

"Too big?" Daniel asked.

"There's no such thing," Jack said, and Melony nodded her agreement.

"If nothing's going to be at risk, then I'm all for the biggest explosion we can get. I don't want anything left. Not the way these guys regenerate."

"How's the escape route coming?" Sam asked.

"We're ready. Or as ready as we can be. It's in place – I just need to get Kale's help to set the destination point above the water here in Atlantis. Then I'll finish the calibrations and we'll be go."

Kale stepped over to stand by her.

"Whenever you want to go, Colonel."

She gave him a smile – despite the tension in the room from the seriousness of their planning, she had half a mind to go for a swim. They probably had time.

_Probably_ _not_

We might.

_And if you get killed this time?_

I survived _last_ time.

It might have just been luck 

She started to protest, but Talon interrupted.

_Just finish this first, Hot Shot. Then we'll see what we can do about your overwhelming need to jump from high places_

She nodded – although she wasn't happy at being thwarted – even by him.

Fine.

_And don't sulk_

I'm not.

_It feels like sulking_

It's not.

He chuckled in her head, and she had to smile. Instead of letting the others think she was bonkers, she turned the smile on Kale.

"No time like the present. Are you doing anything right now?"

"No."

"Then let's go."


	80. 80

"The Wraith are approaching their sensor range…"

This was what they'd been waiting to hear. Those who were going to be on Talonopolis for the ambush were going to have to be there before the Wraith were close enough to use their sensors to know that the Stargate was being used, and they definitely needed to be under the cover of the lava flows when the Wraith made their first scans of the planet. All they wanted the Wraith to see were the vulnerable-appearing Jaffa.

"Let's go, people."

Jack stopped and looked at Sam, who wasn't going to come with them. Not because he didn't want her there, but because there was no reason for her to be there. She had done her job; the shield-dropping device was installed and ready to go – his dart was equipped with the triggering device – and there wasn't anything else she could do. She hadn't _liked_ it, but she also knew that it wasn't because he didn't want her where it was dangerous – he wasn't trying to _protect_ her – they just didn't need her.

"You're in command of the military personnel, Colonel," he said, coming over and taking her hand – even though they weren't alone. "If something goes wrong… send everyone back to Earth, get the doohickey out of the DHD and blow the city."

Sam nodded.

"I will."

It was more complicated than that, of course, since blowing the city – and making sure that the device that made it possible to gate to Earth wasn't going to be left where it might possibly survive the blast that would destroy Atlantis. In the event that the Wraith ambush failed, Sam would evacuate Atlantis, and stay behind. She would take the device out of the DHD, set the explosives that would destroy Atlantis, and then gate with Kale to the Light One's homeworld, where she'd destroy the device, and then become a permanent guest of the Light Ones.

Since Sam was the ranking officer left on Atlantis, it was her responsibility, she'd told Jack the night before – and there was no way she'd ever delegate that responsibility (or the consequences) onto someone else. _Jack_ had been the one to suggest the Light Ones, though. He'd learned a bit about Kale and his people and had grown to like the Light One – and had been told that the Wraith never came to their world because there weren't enough humans and the Light Ones were too difficult to catch. Sam would be safe there.

"I know, Sam."

She squeezed his hand, and then let it go.

"You'd better get going."

Their goodbyes had been said, and there was no need for more words. She'd already told him to be careful, and he'd already told her he loved her.

"I'll see you soon."

She smiled – and it was a _real_ smile, although it was shaky.

"You'd _better_."

He echoed the smile, and turned away, walking over to join the pilots, Ford and McKay.

McKay was going to pilot the Jumper that took the groups over, and then come back to Atlantis. Ford was going to act as copilot. Beckett had wanted to come as well, but Melony hadn't allowed it. Like Jack and Sam, they would be separated – although in the event of a failure, Carson would be back on Earth instead of with the Light Ones. She and Carson had said their goodbyes the night before, too, and she needed to refocus on the plan, now.

"Let's go, people," Jack repeated, walking up the Jumper's ramp without another look.

The others joined him, Teal'c giving Daniel and Sam both a final nod of farewell as he followed – he'd said his goodbyes earlier as well, including a lengthy farewell to Teyla, Sheppard nodding goodbyes to Weir and those that he'd come to know and like so well, and Duck giving his fellow Marines a jaunty wave. He was a _Marine_, after all, and he wasn't going to let his buddies see how nervous he was.

OOOOOOOO

"Start it up, McKay," Jack said as soon as the back door closed.

The astrophysicist nodded and engaged the engines of the Jumper, while Jack looked back at the others.

"Last chance to change your minds…"

No one changed their minds.

OOOOOOOOO

"Colonel Carter is going to need help with the evacuation f it becomes necessary," Jack told Ford less than an hour later. They'd landed the Jumper and offloaded the pilots and what little gear they'd need for their short stay and now the Jumper was about to be sent back to Atlantis.

"I know, sir. I'll help her in any way she needs."

"Good."

Ford saluted Jack – and the others.

"Good luck, Sir."

Jack returned it – as did Mitchell, Sheppard and Duck.

"Thank you, Lieutenant."

They watched as he got back into the Jumper and it took off, and then Jack turned to the others, shouldering his pack.

"Let's get set up."

They walked into the lava tube, dodging around the Wraith darts, which had been parked in the tube to hide them from any Wraith sensors. The pilots would need to be near the darts when the attack came – and they had their own sensors to keep track of the Wraith so they'd have a little warning – so they'd be staying in the lava tube itself. They'd hook up with the Jaffa long enough to make sure that they were aware of the imminence of the attack, but that was it. The Jaffa knew what to do and so did the pilots.

_It's coming…_

Yes.

But they'd need to keep busy – and keep the _others_ occupied – instead of thinking about what was going to happen. It was one thing to be ready – it was another to be on edge.

"I nominate Duck to make dinner tonight."

Jack smiled, knowing immediately what she was doing.

"I second it."

Pascal scowled.

Being the lowest ranking member on the totem pole definitely sucked.


	81. 81

**Talonopolis**

When the attack came, it was with very little warning. Had the Jaffa been what they were pretending to be, they wouldn't have had any warning at all, and if not for the fact that the piloting group had a low ranged sensor that could keep track of the progress of the Wraith, they wouldn't have had anywhere near enough time to get into positions.

"They're coming!"

Sheppard had been manning the sensor that late afternoon – and they were all shocked to hear the news. From what the Athosians and others had told them – and what Sheppard and the Atlanteans had actually seen for themselves – the Wraith attacked at night when they could use the confusion of darkness to further disorient their prey. There was still plenty of daylight – and that was only going to work in the favor of the Humans.

"Already?" Jack asked, frowning, even as he lurched to his feet. He and Melony had been playing tic tac to in the thin layer of dirt on the floor of the lava tube – winner cooked dinner that night.

"Yes, sir."

"You're sure?"

"Positive."

"Let's move it, then, people."

He trusted Sheppard enough that he definitely wasn't going to waste the time to double-check him.

Everyone rushed to their darts, entering from the rear without even needing another order. They'd drilled in this for the last several weeks, and the last two days, especially.

The Jaffa would have their own warning of what was happening, and even now they'd be heading down the lava tube from the bolthole and would be expecting the darts to be there to save them.

Jack's dart was the first to fire up, and was the first to move. He had the most dangerous part of the mission; he had to drop the shields on the Wraith ships, and had to leave the planet to do it.

Mitchell on the other hand, was going to be the last to move her dart. While Jack had the most dangerous job, she had the hardest. She had to collect her own group of Jaffa – which would be the last group to go – and at the same time she would be triggering the explosion that was going to destroy everything within the entire solar system. Which hopefully wouldn't include Jack O'Neill and herself.

But if things went bad, she'd still blow the planet – and the Wraith – and her and Jack already considered it a price worth paying – although she mourned the potential loss of Jaffa life.

Because of the shielding properties of the lava flow there was no way of keeping in touch with each other, which was one of the reasons for so much practice. They wouldn't know until they actually returned to Atlantis how each pilot did.

Sheppard was the first to head for the cavern. He had the task of triggering the escape device and gathering his group of Jaffa – who were positioned in tents that were closest to the openings. They had been timed running the length of the tube and Sheppard would time his arrival perfectly to coordinate with them.

Only minutes after he arrived, he'd have to be gone, because while the cavern was huge, it wasn't big enough to hold his group _and_ the next group of Jaffa – which would be picked up by Duck, who would only be a few minutes behind. Then Duck would have to get his group and get through the escape device as well, because the next group would be arriving, as would Teal'c. Who would promptly be followed by Tao, and then Mitchell, and then Jack.

Once Jack saw Sheppard's dart heading down the lava tube towards the cavern, he knew it was time, and like it had been shot out of a huge cannon, the dart he was flying streaked out of the parking ravine, and then upwards, scattering the Wraith darts which were piloted by very frustrated and confused Wraith, who were trying to figure out where their easy marks had gone so suddenly.

Without looking back, Jack continued the upward motion of the dart, and looked at his watch. Sheppard would be back in Atlantis in only minutes, and he was getting close to his target time. Dropping the shields would definitely alert the Wraith that something was wrong, and Jack and Melony had wanted to time things so that the others had as much time to get clear as they could give them.

OOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

"Doctor Weir?"

The voice was soft, but held an urgency that pulled Elizabeth from her restless sleep quickly. She sat up, looking over at Grodin, who was crouched by her bed.

"What?" She asked, quickly, looking around for Kale. He'd been there when she'd gone to sleep, but she didn't see him now. "What is it?"

"The Wraith have reached Talonopolis."

Now she was on her feet, reaching for a robe and grateful that she'd been wearing a nightgown.

"Have they started the attack?"

"We don't know. We're not getting anything from Talonopolis, we just know the Wraith are there."

"Wake the others," Weir ordered, reaching for a shirt. "I'll be right there."

"Yes, ma'am."

Grodin left, and Elizabeth started to get dressed.

OOOOOOOO

Three minutes later, she was entering the command center, and almost ran into Carson Beckett, who had just entered from another door.

"It's started," she told him, although she knew from the fear in his expressive eyes that he already knew that.

"I know."

"They'll be fine."

He didn't believe that, and was pretty sure she didn't either. He'd only had Melony for such a little time – hadn't even had a chance to get to know everything about her – and he was positive he was going to lose her within the next hour. _Half_-hour, even.

He nodded, though, and headed for the main computer base, where Grodin was just sitting down once more. As Weir followed, the room started filling with others; Sam, McKay, and Ford… the list grew with each moment.

The screen was filled with a dual image. One side showed what little they knew of the activities on Talonopolis; mainly a lot of little blips that were representative of the Wraith ships surrounding the planet, and the other side showed a camera image of the empty space of air. This was the exit point of the escape device, and would be the first place they would see the darts appear – if things went well. And they all refused to say aloud anything about things going wrong…


	82. 82

**Talonopolis**

John Sheppard had always considered himself a hell of a pilot. He'd never found a craft he couldn't fly, and had never had to dump a plane due to pilot error. He'd always looked for that next plane – that next craft that would be the fastest, deadliest and most maneuverable ship to fly – and he was pretty sure that the dart was it. Even as he bumped the right wall of the lava tube – it wasn't easy to fly in such a small space, after all, especially with so many turns – he was reminded once again just how great it was to fly the dart. He was even half-tempted to ask to be allowed to keep it when this whole Wraith thing was done – although he knew that scores of scientists would want to check them out and learn what they could from them. Of course, _first_ he had to actually survive what they were doing. Then he could worry about the future.

What would have taken 30 minutes to walk only took a few minutes to fly, and the sensors that were blind in the tube suddenly roared to life as he entered the giant cavern. He didn't take notice of it, though. He already had his assignment, and the Jaffa were right on time. Even as he triggered the escape device, he slapped his hand down on the toggle that started the beaming mechanism, and only then did he look down at his sensors. He couldn't read Wraith, but Daniel and Weir had both drilled the pilots in the symbols that would tell them the device was working – and when it was done. The moment he was certain he had all 'his' Jaffa aboard his data base, Sheppard aimed for the now activated ring of odd metal that Colonel Mitchell had welded together to make the frame of the escape device.

"I hope you and your snake know what you're doing…" he murmured, closing his eyes and thrusting the dart into the glowing gate.

OOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

"There!"

Daniel's voice cracked through the tension in the room like a gunshot, his hand pointing at the screen. In the middle of the screen there was a sudden flash of light, and an instant later the barely visible form of a Wraith dart coming out of that already fading flash of light.

It was going impossibly fast, and seemed to be aiming straight for the water, where it'd be smashed to bits, even if there were shields. Nothing could go that fast and remain in one piece.

"Pull up, John…" Weir said, her eyes glued to the screen just like everyone else's. They all knew the order the pilots were supposed to be coming through the device, and the first arrival told them that the plan was in action – although they wouldn't know until the explosion – and return of all those involved – just how well things went.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Shiiiiiiiit!"

He'd never been going so fast in all his life. Nothing he'd ever flown – nothing he'd ever even heard of – could go this fast. The device shot him out over the water – and the city – at speeds that he couldn't even comprehend. Speeds that carried G-forces that he'd never have survived if not for the inertia dampeners in the dart.

He needed to pull up, but he couldn't do it too quickly. Not going that fast. To pull up that fast, he'd just flip over and end up in a tail over teakettle and would probably rip the ship to shit when it hit the water. Which would be bad, hmmm? Instead, he used his own skills as a pilot, and carefully – gently, so _freaking_ gently – pulled on the stick, bringing the nose up just a tad. And then another tad… and then another. That was all it took. He shot upwards at a dizzying speed, but the gravity of the planet and the lack of actual thrust from the dart engines finally started to slow him down, and he was able to bring the ship under control. Real control, now. Once he was certain he had that control, he tilted the nose down again, and headed for the landing pad that had been set up for the darts. And took a deep breath, even as his sensors indicated a flash of light above him – a flash that was another dart, going just as impossibly fast as he was.

As John moved out of the way – just in case – he took a deep breath, and let it out slowly. His part was done. Now he could only hope that the others had fared just as well.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

**Talonopolis**

_Our turn soon_

I know.

Tao's dart had just vanished from the sensors, heading down the lava tube, and Mitchell looked at her watch, making sure she gave her First Prime plenty of time to get ahead of her while still making sure she didn't leave her Jaffa waiting too long. She'd wanted to take a quick peek outside the tube, to check on Jack, but she didn't dare.

For one thing, it would give away their position (and possibly their plan) to the Wraith. For another, it would throw their timing off, and for still another, it would throw Jack off to have her out of synch. None of them were acceptable.

She'd just have to wait for Jack's signal – and hope that things were going well.

OOOOOOOO

"I _gotta_ be out of my mind…"

Jack looked down at the triggering device strapped to his leg, and then checked the sensors on the dart once more. The planet down below was literally teeming with Wraith – darts and foot patrols – and on the sensor they looked like ants swarming a dead carcass. Which wasn't the nicest of analogies but it was rather apt. The space above the planet was just as full. Hive ships were everywhere – he'd been told by Grodin that they suspected there were at least 60 – and there were so many of them that Jack couldn't imagine how many Wraith might be on them. Millions…

He looked at his watch, and knew that Tao should be going through the escape device at that moment. That left him and Melony (and Melony's Jaffa group) as the only living things – besides trees and plants and stuff – on the planet. In the entire system for that matter.

A timer beeped, drawing his attention to the triggering device, and he slapped his hand down on the trigger, knowing that as he did so he was dropping the shields on his own ship as well as all those around him. Of course, out of all those who just lost their shields, he was the only one who was expecting it, and he touched the green device that was pressed against his chest, activating his own personal Ancient shield.

Alarms went off as the shields on his dart dropped, and Jack headed back for the planet surface, and for the lava tubes – with a handful of darts right behind him, although he wasn't certain they were really following him or they were just heading the same direction. Either way, it didn't matter. He was going to be gone in a few minutes, and they were going to be blown to hell – even if they did follow him into the tunnel.

He pushed a button on his watch – the watch Talon had made for him when he and Melony had first bended and he'd taken her away from the SGC. This sent a signal to Mitchell telling her that shields were down, since her own shielding would be fine – because of the blocking walls of the lava flows. And then he headed for the relative safety of those very same walls.

OOOOOOOOOO

"_There it is!"_

Melony didn't wait for Talon's reply – she hadn't really expected one. Instead, she thumbed the thrusters of the dart, heading into the tunnel even faster than Tao and those who had gone before her had. She had Talon, after all. With his reflexes added to her own flying abilities, she could risk moving much faster than the others – and she did, knowing that Jack was going to be right behind her, and preferring not to have him fly up her proverbial tailpipe.

The Jaffa were exactly where they were supposed to be – which didn't surprise her at all – and Mitchell swiftly beamed them into her computer the moment she was able to get a lock on them, and jerked to the side of the cavern, waiting for Jack. She couldn't blow the planet until she was certain he was on his way.

OOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

The screen was filled with blips on one side, and scattered with flashes of light on the other. Four flashes of light in the dark night sky – although they had no idea which dart was piloted by whom.

"Come on…"

Sam was so tense that her knuckles were white where she was holding the edge of the table she was standing by. Her eyes were on the screen, flickering from one view to the other, watching the Wraith and then watching the skies above Atlantis, waiting for the fifth and sixth flashes of light that would tell her all the darts were home safe.

Suddenly there was a shudder than seemed to run through the very foundations of the city and a muffled explosion. All eyes turned to the right side of the screen, and they could see a fireball of light that was a Wraith dart. A Wraith dart that was horribly damaged from suddenly crashing into one of the top spires of the city. Impossible to see in the dark, and apparently not as out of the way as Mitchell had hoped when she'd made the exit point.

There was a collective groan from those watching – and gasps of fear and dismay.

"Who is it?" Weir asked, looking at Grodin, who couldn't answer. He didn't know.

There was a bustle of activity from the edge of the room, and when Sam looked over, Carson was already gone, heading for the elevator at a dead run. He had to know.


	83. 83

**Talonopolis**

"_GO_!"

Jack couldn't believe when he saw that she was still there – although he really should have known she wasn't going to blow the planet without knowing he was on the way. They were both in the cavern, now, which is how he was able to communicate, and he'd slammed on the brakes as quickly as she had, both darts hovering. Like her, he couldn't go until he knew _she_ was safe.

"Engaging the destruct device _now_, Jack!" she yelled into her mic, hitting the button and thumbing the dart's thrusters, aiming for the escape route – knowing that he wasn't going to leave with her in the cavern and not willing to risk them. She knew he'd be right behind her. "_Go_!"

She hit the event horizon, and sent up a prayer that Jack wasn't far behind, because even as she started to disintegrate, she felt the explosion rocking the cavern and knew it was only seconds from turning into a giant fireball.

He only waited until the rear of her dart was out of the way, and immediately sent his own dart into the event horizon as well, the cavern blowing to hell around him. His sensors were screaming at him about imminent explosions, and he was so distracted by them – and escaping – he didn't see the other dart – the one that had followed him down the tube. Even as he disintegrated, he felt an explosion on his rear as the dart fired at him. Right before the cavern filled with fire, destroying the dart before it could attempt to follow Jack.

The explosion was huge. Incredibly huge. But then the force of it hit perfectly placed crystals that were lining the walls of the cavern, and what had been huge suddenly became an inferno with no comparison. The explosion that rocked the lavaflows erupted upwards in an instant, wiping out the darts that were circling the entire planet in confusion, and then simply shattering the planet, demolishing the hive ships that were in orbit – and beyond – before any of them had a chance to even realize what was happening. An instant after the Wraith as an entire species were destroyed the explosion was intensified once more, until it was well past that of a star exploding. It was a bang that hadn't been felt since the very creation of the planets of the system, and maybe not even then, and it destroyed everything in its path.

OOOOOOOOOO

**Atlantis**

"Who is it?" Weir asked, looking at the screen and watching the Wraith dart – which seemed to be nothing more than a fireball – as it plummeted to the base of the spire it had crashed into.

Before anyone could say anything – not that any of them could have told her – there were two more flashes in the night sky above them, and she could see in the second flash that another dart was damaged and on fire. This one hadn't crashed into anything, _yet_, but it was out of control, streaking across the dark sky like a rogue shooting star.

The other dart – the one that had arrived right before it – was tumbling, but before Weir or anyone could even realize what they were seeing, there was a flash of blinding light from the other side of the screen. And then the picture was lost. The explosion had happened, and they had lost their feed to the Ancient's listening post.

Blinded on one side, they all turned their attention to the other view – which was distressing to those watching. The first dart was down, now, and they could see movement in the light of the flames – but it wasn't the pilot. The other dart that had been on fire was no better off. This one had crashed into the ocean, and the wreckage was burning; scattered in pieces that plainly said the shields hadn't done anything to hold it together on crashing.

In the light of these flames, they could see more movements, but again, they weren't completely sure what it was.

"Get them!" Weir ordered, desperate to make sure everyone had survived. What on Earth could have gone so wrong?

"They're on it," Grodin said, getting calls in from the landing darts. "Major Sheppard is reporting in, now. He's fine, and starting to help the Light Ones with rescue operations."

Weir nodded.

"Get the infirmary ready."

"Doctor Beckett already called in the orders."

"Get medics to the landing-"

"They're on the way."

Everything was being done that could be done. They'd have to wait and let everyone do what they needed to do – and not get in the way.

She turned her attention back to the flaming darts, knowing now that the movements she was seeing were Light Ones flying in to help where they could. The flames were down to smoldering on the first crashed dart, so she couldn't see much, and the water had completely doused the other fires, so she couldn't see anything there, either. The rest of the darts had all landed, and Grodin was concentrating on reports, passing information on as he received it.

"Sheppard's okay; he's reported no problems. Corporal Sanchez just powered down as well – he's fine." There was a pause, and he turned to the others – all of whom were watching him. "The two down are Tao and General O'Neill. Tao's dart hit the north tower and crashed – they're pulling him from the wreckage, now. General O'Neill apparently came in on fire and disintegrated on crashing – the Light Ones are searching for him, now."

Sam felt her stomach drop, even as she tried to remind herself that Jack had survived a lot worse than that. She just couldn't think of anything. Daniel was beside her in an instant, a steadying hand unobtrusively supporting her.

"Let's get to the infirmary. That's where they'll take him."

She nodded, and the two of them turned and headed for the door.

OOOOOOOOO

"Who is it?"

Mitchell stumbled to the ground, tripping over the small lip that led into the rear of the dart, but was on her feet in an instant. Even while she'd tried to regain control of her dart, she had seen Jack coming in hot above her, and then had seen him crash. Knowing that he had no shielding, she'd been desperate for him to pull up before he hit the water, and he hadn't done it. The dart had been torn to pieces, and she couldn't land fast enough to find out who was flying the other dart that she'd seen in flames below the city and whether the Light Ones had been able to find O'Neill. Because of that haste, her own landing was far worse than it should have been – more of a controlled crash – but she had shields, and wasn't injured. Until she stumbled onto the concrete landing pad and twisted her ankle.

_He has shields_

He has _one_ shield.

_It's enough_

Talon was already starting to work on the ankle, even as Melony rushed over to the open space. Someone caught her from behind, twisting her ankle further – although she ignored the stabbing pain.

"Are you all right?"

It was Carson, and his eyes were wide with worry.

"Fine."

She turned and caught one of the others as they rushed by.

"Who was in the other dart?"

"Tao. The Light Ones are trying to pull him out, now."

Before she could ask his condition, there was a flurry of wings and a screech from above. Everyone moved at the warning, and one of the giant birds landed awkwardly, rolling onto its side, with a figure wrapped carefully in its talons. It was the only way a bird could land without tossing the burden to the concrete so it could use its natural landing gear.

Melony recognized the injured person immediately, of course.

"_Jack_!"

He was bloody and battered, and soaking wet, and didn't say a word as Kale transformed himself from bird form, but stayed where he was, obviously stunned from the crash landing of his own.

Carson dropped down beside O'Neill – as did Melony – and instantly felt for a pulse. He couldn't find one. Melony didn't even hesitate.

"Talon!"

She leaned over Jack, her mouth seeking his own. A moment later, she felt a jolt, like something inside her ripped apart, and then she was suddenly as alone as she'd ever felt.

OOOOOOO

He hurt. He was hurting worse than he could ever remember hurting, and knew – even though he couldn't seem to focus enough to really consider it – that he was dying. He'd crashed. He didn't even have a chance to try and avoid it, and only the personal shielding device that he'd activated had kept him from tearing apart even as the dart had. But it hadn't saved him, and he knew it. Even when he'd felt something pluck him out of the freezing water, he'd known that he wasn't going to live. He was just going to have to try and hang on long enough to make sure everything had gone right. Everything else, anyways.

He felt a jolt as he and Kale landed, but he didn't open his eyes, and as badly as he hurt, he didn't feel more pain. Then he heard Melony call his name, and he knew she was alive. She was the last one through – besides himself – and if she had managed to land her dart, then the others must have as well.

He tried to say something; wanted her to tell Sam that he was sorry, but he couldn't move, and couldn't even open his eyes. He felt himself drifting away and could feel himself fading. Then someone was hovering over him, and he felt something against his lips – a kiss? An instant later, he felt a sudden shock as his awareness was pushed gently but firmly aside, and a concerned but slightly cheerful voice sounded off in the pain-filled vaults of his mind.

_You certainly are a mess_

Then he felt nothing.


	84. 84

"_Melony_!"

Carson pulled her back from O'Neill's inert form, uncertain what she was doing. She went, with such lifelessness that he cast a second glance at her, worried that she was injured and he didn't realize it. But she'd been walking, and he hadn't seen any blood. She fell back, ending up resting against Kale, who still hadn't moved – although he was awake and even reached out to touch her, showing that he was aware enough of what was going on around him to be worried about her.

"Take Jack to the infirmary, Carson…" she said, closing her eyes. Bereft of Talon's healing and numbing abilities, she was feeling every ache and pain – not to mention that her system was in shock from the sudden loss of the symbiote. It wasn't dangerous, though, notyet – or Talon never would have left. "He's going to need to be put under for-"

"What did you _do_?"

Carson grabbed her by her jacket, pulling her upright and clutching her tightly.

She winced, her head pounding and her eyes unfocused when she opened them to look at him.

"I-"

"What?"

He looked at O'Neill, who was still and silent, and then back at Melony, realization dawning in his eyes.

"You transferred Talon!"

She nodded, weakly.

"Had to…"

"You'll _die_."

She shook her head.

Not if it wasn't for too long…

"Doc?"

Carson looked up and saw Sheppard hovering over them; obviously confused by the way he was holding Mitchell by her jacket and was yelling at her. He went to his feet, and pulled Melony up as well, handing her over to Sheppard.

"Take her down to the infirmary. Tell them to isolate her, and to keep _everyone_ away from her. I'll be there in a minute."

"What?"

"_Do it!"_

Sheppard pulled Mitchell over his shoulder in a fireman's carry – if she'd been hurt, Beckett never would have been so rough pulling her to her feet – and headed for the door leading to the elevator. And Beckett turned back to O'Neill, kneeling down and ripping his jacket open so he could check the injuries.

By the time he was ready to try and stabilize the General, his first team of medics were there, pushing gurneys and carrying all the equipment he could hope for.

"Here!"

He stood, pulling one of the gurneys over to him, and hitting the switch that dropped it to the ground position.

"He's unconscious. Get him to the infirmary and prep him for immediate surgery."

The medics did as they were told, carefully lifting O'Neill onto the gurney and heading for the same door that Sheppard had. Beckett knelt next to Kale, who was sitting up.

"Are you injured?"

The Light One shook his head, his hand coming up to his head, which was bleeding – but not too badly.

"I will be fine."

"I want you to go to the infirmary anyways," Beckett said, waving over another set of medics. "Better safe than sorry."

The Light One looked as if he was going to protest, but he nodded.

"Very well."

When Beckett stood up again, he saw Teal'c, Duck and several Light Ones crowding around something – or someone – and rushed over, already being followed by medics. There was only one pilot unaccounted for, now.

OOOOOOOO

Sam and Daniel both jumped when Sheppard crashed into the infirmary with Mitchell over his shoulder. Medics jumped, too, just as startled at the sudden appearance.

"Beckett wants her put into isolation, and said don't let anyone near her," John told them, handing her over to the medics.

"What's wrong with her?" Daniel asked, worried.

Sheppard shook his head.

"No clue. She doesn't seem to be hurt. Just shocky."

"Have you seen General O'Neill?" Sam asked, watching as Melony was whisked away towards a far corner of the room. There hadn't been any blood – despite the fact that she was silent and still.

John nodded.

"He's hurt," he said, trying to figure out how to make it sound less terrible – even though he'd seen O'Neill's injuries and knew he was hurt badly. "Beckett's with him, though. His dart is in about a million pieces."

"What happened?" Daniel asked.

Sheppard shrugged, looking the direction Melony had been taken.

"I don't have a clue. He looked to be on fire when he came in – maybe he got caught in the explosion."

"Did you _see_ the explosion?" Sam asked, although she knew the answer already. She just needed to ask something to take her mind off Jack. Not that it would.

"No. But the Wraith attacked in the daylight – we almost weren't ready for them."

"Why would they do that?" Daniel asked. "I've never-"

He was interrupted with the arrival of the next set of medics, and these were pushing a gurney that was holding a very bloody and very mangled Jack O'Neill. On the way down the medics had already started IVs and were stabilizing their patient.

Sam and Daniel intercepted them immediately.

"How is he?"

"He's going into surgery."

That was all they'd say. They weren't military doctors and didn't have to worry about offending her. Besides, they didn't want to tell her what _they_ thought, because it wasn't good news as near as they could tell. The medics shouldered past with their patient, and Sam bit her lower lip, watching as they went, and forcing herself not to follow.

"He'll be okay, Sam…" Daniel said, putting his arm around her. "He's been hurt worse I bet."

She didn't look convinced, but there wasn't anything she could do, and Jack wouldn't thank her for getting hysterical. Instead she leaned against Daniel, her eyes still fixed on the door to the pre-op room.

Two minutes later, Beckett entered the infirmary, his clothes bloody and his expression bleak.

"What happened?" Sheppard asked, noticing the look.

"Tao didn't make it…" Carson said softly.

"Are you sure?" Sam said, shocked. "He has a symbiote-"

"I'm sure," Beckett said, interrupting. He looked tired, and sad, and he didn't have time to mournthe loss just then."I need to go take care of General O'Neill. Don't try to check on Melony… she's being isolated until further notice."

"Why?"

He didn't answer, though. Instead, he turned and headed for the pre-op room, closing the door behind him.

Daniel frowned, looking at the others.

"What's going _on_…?"


	85. 85

Before they could wrap their minds around the loss of Melony's First Prime – and everything else that had happened – yet another gurney entered the infirmary, this time with Kale on it. He was, of course, naked, but he'd been covered with a blanket. Which was either to keep him warm – in case of shock – or just because it was easier for the medics to deal with him if he were covered. Not everyone was all that used to him being naked, after all.

"Kale?"

The Light One was scratched up in a few places – mainly his shoulder and elbow – and there was a nasty cut on his forehead, which was covered with a bloody bandage.

"I'm fine," he assured them with a slight smile, trying to look a little less battered.

Sam looked at the medic, who smiled, and nodded.

"He's just a little beat up. Bumps and bruises and a couple of cuts. He'll be fine in a day or two. Unless he doesn't heal like we do…"

"I'll heal fine," Kale said, not at all offended at being discussed like he was different from them. He _was_, after all.

Weir arrived in the infirmary only a few moments later, breathless. She frowned when she saw Kale, realized immediately that he wasn't badly injured and turned to the others, knowing there were other – more important things – to find out.

"How are they?"

Sam shook her head.

"We're not sure about General O'Neill and Colonel Mitchell. He's in surgery right now, and for some reason Doctor Beckett has ordered Melony to be isolated from the rest of us."

"And Tao?"

Sam hesitated, and Daniel spoke up.

"He didn't make it."

"What?"

"He crashed into one of the towers… and didn't survive."

Weir paled. She hadn't had as much of a chance to get know the Jaffa as Daniel and Sam had – they'd known him for years, although not all that well – but she had already learned enough about him to know that his death was a dreadful loss.

"Does Colonel Mitchell know?"

Sheppard shook his head.

"I'm sure she doesn't. She wasn't very responsive when I brought her in…"

"Is she injured?"

"Her _dart's_ fine."

"Then-"

"We _don't_ know. Beckett didn't say anything – but he warned us to stay away from her. And he was _serious_."

She nodded, and took a deep breath.

"Grodin and Rodney are looking through the data that we received from the Ancient's listening posts in the path of the explosion. They should have something for us by now." She looked at Sam. "There's a small room next to the infirmary. We'll use that as a briefing room so that we can still be close enough to have any updates when they come, but will also be out of the way of the medics. If you feel up to it?"

Sam just nodded, glancing towards the door of the room that Jack had vanished into – and might never return from. Not alive, anyways. She felt a pang that almost floored her, and Daniel's hand on her back was the only thing that steadied her.

"That's fine…"

She had to know what had happened. She'd be the one to report to Jack, after all. When he was better.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"The first listening post was positioned on the other side of the system from Talonopolis. Judging by the time that we saw the last two darts enter the sky above Atlantis and the time that we lost the signal from the listening post, we could calculate the force and speed of the explosion from the planet…"

Rodney fell silent, watching those who were gathered around the table. All of them looked tired, and worried, and scared. And none of them seemed to understand what had just happened. Or they were all so numb that it hadn't sunk in, yet.

Weir looked at him.

"And…?"

"The explosion was bigger than I thought. The mere fact that we lost connection so quickly indicates that the force of the blast reached the listening post in mere moments – I had expected it to take several minutes."

"And the Wraith?" Daniel asked.

"They're _gone_."

"You're sure?" Weir asked.

"Oh, yeah."

"What if some of them managed to figure out what was going on and tried to escape?" Sheppard asked.

Rodney rolled his eyes.

"They _couldn't_ have. There's no place they could have gone. The darts were too close to the explosion to even attempt to get to the gate – if any of them had even managed to have time to _think_ about it. The hive ships are far too large for them to go through the gate – again, if they could have even reached it by the time they realized what was happening and attempted to escape. Chances are, none of them had a clue what was happening, and they're all ashes, now. If even that."

"But we'll test it, anyways," Grodin said, interrupting. "Just to make sure."

"Test it how?" Sheppard asked.

"We still have the darts. Most of them, any ways. Once we reanimate the Jaffa, we're going to use the telemetry on the darts to see if they get any hits from any hive ships. If there are any out there, they're going to be looking for their own survivors, and that means they're going to be using their technology to try and find them."

"What about the Jaffa?" Weir asked, giving a slight sigh of relief. While Rodney was arrogant and cocky and annoying, he was also a genius, and she had no reason to doubt what he was telling her – even though it simply sounded too good to be true. Their plan had worked like clockwork. But the cost had been more than she'd wanted them to pay.

"They're fine," Rodney said. "As far as we can tell, anyways. We-"

"The data card on the Wraith dart piloted by Tao has been found and recovered." The voice drew everyone's attention to the door, and Teal'c walked in, looking as solid and imposing as a concrete wall. Beside him was Teyla, who didn't look anywhere near as calm.

"Is it intact?" Sam asked.

"It appears to be fine. The Light Ones pulled it from the wreckage before it was damaged."

"Thank God," Weir said, softly, closing her eyes. They'd lost too much already.

"We will want to reanimate them as soon as possible," Teal'c said, looking at Rodney.

"Yes, of course."

McKay wasn't going to argue with the Jaffa. He might have told Grodin that they were fine where they were for a couple of days, but when Teal'c said it… well… it was going to be done before he went to bed.

"I'll take care of it right now."

Teal'c nodded, and looked at Sam.

"O'Neill?"

She swallowed hard.

"He's in surgery. Colonel Mitchell's in an isolation room."

"Injured?"

"We don't know, Teal'c. Doctor Beckett won't let any of us see her to find out."


	86. 86

Although he wanted to stay and wait to find out O'Neill's condition – as well as discover what was wrong with Colonel Mitchell and Talon – Teal'c had another duty to perform. As the only representative for the Jaffa just then, it was his responsibility to make sure that his people were returned to normalcy safely. With that in mind, he went with McKay and Grodin as they left the briefing and headed for the area that the darts had been parked.

"Are you going to tell them what happened to Tao?" Rodney asked Teal'c.

The Jaffa nodded.

"It is their right to know what has happened."

"How will Colonel Mitchell choose a new First Prime?"

"That is for her to decide."

"How are they _normally_ chosen?"

"You must _first_ be Jaffa…"

Rodney rolled his eyes.

"I'm not _asking_ for the job, I assure you."

Teal'c frowned; cutting short any other smart-assed comment McKay might have said next.

"Normally a system lord will choose a few candidates and they will fight to the death. The winner is the strongest – and therefore is the best choice to be First Prime."

Grodin had a pained look on his face at that, and Teal'c knew that neither would ask him another question about how to become a First Prime.

For that matter they were quiet the entire trip, and Teal'c stopped by the first dart, watching as Rodney and Grodin entered the craft.

There was plenty of room on the dart landing pad, more than enough room for several hundred Jaffa – there might not have been, except that two of the darts weren't there. The database out of Tao's dart was in Grodin's hand, and he'd be able to animate those in that database by using one of the other darts once they'd finished the others. It would take several hours to complete the task, and one that gave Teal'c plenty of time to debate with himself what to do next.

Teal'c decided that he'd settle the Jaffa back into their room in the city, and then talk to them after they'd had a chance to acclimate themselves to the success of their mission first. That would also give him time to decide how to tell them what had happened – and maybe give Mitchell a chance to come around.

OOOOOOOOOO

While Teal'c was settling the Jaffa – slowly but surely – the others were hovering around the infirmary, waiting for any word. No matter that all of them – those who'd been on Atlantis, any way – had been woken from sound sleep. None were tired, and all were worried.

The Light Ones were represented as well. Kale had been bandaged and released from the care of the medics, as had Char, who it turned out was the Light One who had saved the Jaffa database from the damaged dart that had crashed into the Northern spire of the city. The Light One had been in bird form – no other form could have reached the crash site so quickly – and had badly burned his right hand and forearm pulling the device free of the control panel. The rest of the dart – which also held Tao's lifeless body – had been more accessible to human rescuers.

His burns were more serious, but he assured the medics that he'd be fine, and they'd released him as well. After bandaging his arm and hand and reminding him to keep the bandages clean and return if he felt too much discomfort.

When Beckett finally made an appearance – several hours later – he was exhausted, and spattered with blood – although he'd obviously changed out of the surgical scrubs he'd been wearing. He stopped at the doorway, looking at the group that immediately looked up at the sound of the opening door.

"How is he?" Daniel asked, walking over, and followed by all the others, until Carson was pretty much buried under the crowd – especially with the Light Ones towering overhead.

"He's in a coma." Carson looked at Sam, reaching out and taking her hand. "_I_ put him in it, though."

"Why?" Weir asked.

"Because it's the best way to help him heal as quickly as possible."

Carson took a deep breath, and sat down at a table, waving for the others to do the same, so they weren't hovering over him. He didn't blame them for being worried; he would be, too. He _was_, too.

"General O'Neill was badly injured. He has several internal injuries and numerous broken bones. He's in critical condition and despite extraordinary measures… I'm not sure if he's going to pull through."

"There's nothing else you can do?" Daniel asked, feeling ready to throw up.

"What sort of _extraordinary_ measures?" Weir asked, curiously. The way he'd said it, it didn't sound like he meant his own skills as a surgeon.

Carson sighed, running his hand along his cheek.

"Melony was with me when I reached the General. She saw his condition and obviously realized that it was very serious. _Very_ serious. And took matters into her own hands – or _Talon_ did. I'm not sure. Maybe both of them."

"Talon?" Sam asked, confused.

"Talon transferred to General O'Neill."

"_What_?"

"She'll _die_," Weir said, aghast.

Carson shook his head.

"Maybe. _Probably_." There was no doubting the fear in his expression. "I can only assume they knew what they were doing – or thought they were. Talon's healthy, and Melony wasn't injured enough for him to worry about any immediate injury… or I can't believe he'd have gone."

"_Can_ Talon heal General O'Neill?" Sheppard asked, curiously. He'd always assumed that once Talon was in someone he was stuck there.

"I'm not certain. And I'm not certain that any of them will survive this…"

"Why not?" Elizabeth asked, confused. "Talon's healthy, right?"

"Without Talon, Melony will die. For _sure_. It's only a matter of days."

"What? Why? You said she wasn't seriously injured...?"

"Not seriously."

"But by being blended with Talon for so long, Melony's immune system is shot…" Daniel said, softly, figuring out now why Beckett had insisted no one be allowed near her. "If she's exposed to anything – even a common cold – it can kill her."

"Aye." Carson nodded his agreement. "I'm going to keep her isolated, and hopefully keep her from being exposed. Hopefully we can give Talon time to take care of General O'Neill's injuries… but there's a chance that Talon won't be able to heal him, and might exhaust himself for no reason."

"And make him too tired to return to Colonel Mitchell?" Sheppard asked, catching on.

"Aye."


	87. 87

When he entered the clean room to check on her, Carson felt his stomach clench so tightly that he thought for a moment that he was going to be sick. Her entire system was in shock from the sudden loss of Talon, and she was showing signs of that shock. She'd already been violently ill, twice, heaving until there was absolutely nothing left in her stomach to bring up and then heaving some more.

He'd had her placed on an IV to keep her hydrated, and with the same IV he'd already started her on a heavy regime of antibiotics. Antibiotics that weren't going to do much to keep her safe, but might slow down whatever illnesses that might be laying in wait for just this chance.

Her ankle had been sprained and was already swelling, but they'd iced it – and would continue to keep it iced – and it was really the least of their worries right then. At the moment, she was in her bed, lying on her side with her knees tucked up almost to her chest and a pillow clutched in her arms, miserable. She was experiencing the ultimate withdrawal symptoms, and Beckett knew that she wasn't going to recover from them until Talon was back where he belonged.

Wearing a clean set of scrubs – fully sterile – a cap on his hat and a mask over his mouth and nose (he wasn't going to take any chances), he walked over to the bed and crouched down beside it, getting on the same level as she was, without sitting on the bed like he wanted to. The movement of the bed – even a slight movement from his weight joining hers – could make her sick again, and he didn't want to risk it.

Her face was as pale as the sheets, and looked even more so because of the dark fabric of the gown they'd put her in, and she was sweating. He reached for a dry cloth and wiped her forehead and cheek, running the cloth down her neck.

"Melony?"

She opened her eyes almost immediately, proving to him that she wasn't asleep. He had been pretty sure she wasn't going to be, though.

"Carson…"

He gave her a smile he had to force – and one she couldn't see anyways. Not with his mask covering his mouth.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm cold…"

She wasn't, but he knew it was a symptom of the shock. He pulled her blankets up, tucking them carefully around her, and she gave a shuddering breath.

"How long…?"

He understood what she was asking.

"Eight hours."

"That's all?" She closed her eyes, her face pinched with pain. "Feels like years…"

And it was only going to get worse.

Before he could say anything, though, she opened her eyes again, meeting his worried gaze.

"The others?"

He hesitated. Luckily, she didn't seem to notice.

"The Jaffa have been reanimated. They seem to be fine, but we're checking them just to make sure."

"Jack?"

He shook his head.

"We're not sure, yet."

She nodded, closing her eyes again. And just when he thought he'd avoided the one question he didn't want to hear, she opened them again.

"The other pilots?"

His hesitation was a bit more noticeable this time, and she caught it. Her eyes clouded.

"Carson?"

"We lost Tao, Melony…" he said, softly. He couldn't lie to her. She'd never have forgiven him for it, and there was so much she'd already forgiven him for, he just couldn't… "His dart hit one the spires and broke apart."

"You're sure?"

He nodded, feeling like crap for adding to her pain with sorrow. He reached out and brushed her cheek with the cloth once more, unwilling to risk touching her with his hand, even with gloves on.

"I'm sorry, Melony."

She closed her eyes again, and this time rolled away from him, still holding the pillow, cuddling against it.

"It's my fault…" she whispered, but she didn't say anything else, and Carson didn't know what to say to make her feel better. But he tried.

"It was just an accident."

She shook her head.

"Is there anything I can bring you…?" Beckett asked her, softly, once he was certain she wasn't going to say anything else.

She shook her head again, not turning, and not looking at him.

"Just leave me alone… please?"

He nodded, and pulled the blanket up around her once more.

"I love you."

All he heard in response was a sob.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The Jaffa were all healthy, and showing absolutely no side-effects from the time they spent in the Wraith databases – which didn't surprise Rodney McKay one bit. He'd known that they wouldn't. He'd checked it out, after all, right? Once it was clear that the Jaffa were fine, there was a quick conference with Sam Carter, Daniel Jackson and Elizabeth Weir, and the four of them decided that the Mok would probably come to no harm if they had to wait a couple more days to be reanimated. Melony hadn't exactly told them where she wanted to take the Mok, and they didn't want a herd of the huge beasts running around the corridors of Atlantis. Even if they were cute and fuzzy.

Teal'c had told the assembled Jaffa about Tao's death, but had only mentioned that Talon was unavailable just then, and that they would have to wait for further instructions. As a former First Prime himself, Teal'c had no problem getting obedience from his people, and they settled into their auditorium quarters to wait until they had their next set of orders – which would undoubtedly be orders to return home. There was speculation among those assembled as to who would be Talon's next First Prime, but that was something that would have to wait for an announcement from their goddess. And they were patient. And flushed with the knowledge that they'd succeeded in doing what they'd set out to do. Their goddess was certainly pleased with them – but not as pleased as they were!

With the Jaffa settled in, a group of engineers checked out the tower Tao had crashed into and began the rebuilding process, and Sheppard, Teal'c, and Duck took the remaining darts offworld, to one of the swampland planets that held very little by way of population – unless you counted bugs and other insects – and started testing for any sign of indication that any of the Wraith might have survived. Everyone else simply waited. That was all they could do.


	88. 88

_Author's Note: This is AU, remember, so Jack hasn't had the symbiote he had in the TV show (just so you all don't ask later)_

OOOOOOOOOOO

Despite Carson's best precautions – although it didn't surprise him a bit – Melony developed an infection within 24 hours. He'd known it was going to happen, he'd simply hoped to stave it off as long as possible. Of course, even what little immune system she had to work with was affected by the shock she was in, rendering it as useless as if she had none – and the antibiotics weren't much help. The infection started in her swollen ankle and spread slowly but surely through her bloodstream to her organs; most noticeably her lungs, which caused her breathing to become ragged and hoarse.

The medical staff did what they could to keep her warm, kept her hydrated, and used all the tricks they could to keep her comfortable, but it was a difficult battle from the beginning, and one they could visibly see she was losing.

"Isn't there anything you can do?" Sam asked Carson as the two of them watched Mitchell's monitors through the lone window of the room. She didn't dare go in – and neither did any of the others, but they all were keeping track of her progress. Like everyone else, Sam had been keeping almost constant vigil. Unlike the others, though, she had a far more personal interest in what was happening. So much so that she understood just how hard this was for Carson Beckett. It was just as hard on her. "Can't you at least put her under, like you did General O'Neill? At least then she wont be in so much pain…"

Beckett shook his head.

"If I do that she could die. Her system's not strong enough to handle any sedative."

Sam looked into the room again, and wrapped her arms around herself. It didn't look like she was going to survive this anyways.

"And Jack?"

She couldn't stand calling him General O'Neill… It seemed too impersonal.

"Talon's doing the trick. The damaged organs are healing well, and there are signs of healing in the broken bones. I took him off the medications that kept him in his coma – Talon's doing all that, now."

"When will he wake up?"

Carson nodded.

"It's up to Talon."

"Hopefully it'll be soon enough to help Colonel Mitchell…"

"It'll have to be soon…"

Sam sighed, and looked back towards the door that led to the room Jack was in. She'd go and check on him soon, but she needed a chance to stretch her legs – and had wanted to see how Melony was doing.

OOOOOOOOO

A gentle touch against his mind alerted him that he wasn't alone. An instant later, a voice – one that was inside his mind, which was a very odd feeling – reinforced that.

_Relax, General…_

Jack knew who it was immediately, even though he'd never heard the voice sound quite so clear.

Talon?

_Yes_

What's going on?

_You were seriously injured_

Am I dying?

_No_

Jack could feel what the symbiote was thinking – which was odd, too. There was a lot of worry, and not all of it was for him. While he didn't know the specifics – and if his bond to Talon was stronger, he would have been able to figure it out for himself – he did know who it was centered around.

Melony?

_And yourself_

What?

_I can't stay long where I am, General. If-_

Call me Jack.

Jesus, the thing was _inside_ him, after all. They might as well be on first name basis, right?

_Jack. If I stay too long in you your immune system will become dependent on my help. Like Melony's has. I need to get back to her_

You _left_ her?

He felt his own very real fear, now, and not for himself. He wasn't the genius that most of those around him were, but he knew what that meant for Melony. It was the same way as it was with Teal'c, after all. If Teal'c lost Junior, he'd die. And if Talon was inside him, then Melony was-

_I had to_, Talon told him, firmly, sharing with Jack a few of the memories he held of Melony's. The ones that were centered around her own very real love for Jack. _She's lost too much already, Jack. I couldn't allow her to lose you, too_

She's in danger.

_Yes. Which is why I needed to be able to check on your progress – and to do that I needed you more awake_

How am I doing?

Now that he knew what was going on, Jack was anxious to get Talon back where he belonged. Not to mention he wasn't all that certain he enjoyed having someone so intimate with his own thoughts.

_You're going to live_

That's not much of a prognosis.

_It's better than the alternative_

Had Jack been awake he would have chuckled at that – and Talon's amusement was a match for his own.

True. How long have I been out?

_A couple of days_

How much-

_I'm trying to concentrate, Jack. Hush_

He felt a moment of irritation; getting hushed in his own mind just wasn't right, but he didn't say anything, more concerned with letting the symbiote do whatever he was doing.

_Thanks_

As he lay still, Jack found that he could actually hear Talon's own thoughts – not just his feeling – and was able to figure out for himself just what was going on. Talon had already managed to heal the injuries that would have killed him, and was now making sure that when he left him, Jack was going to be able to survive the shock of losing the extra help. That was a good sign, because it meant that he was almost done. There was a note of urgency, telling Jack that Talon believed he was taking a bit too long in the healing, and Melony was suffering because of it.

As Talon worked, he could feel O'Neill sifting through his thoughts, and while he didn't mind – he, himself had already learned far more about Jack than Jack knew – he did carefully shield away any of Melony's memories. It was one thing to share of himself – that couldn't be helped when you were so closely blended, even temporarily – but it was another to share Melony's thoughts.

Eventually, Talon had what he needed, though, and the symbiote could work a lot more efficiently without the distraction of the host. So he put Jack back to sleep without warning, knowing already that it'd be easier to do it without asking permission.

He was getting close to reuniting with Melony, and he was anxious to get back.


	89. 89

It was late. As had become her custom, Sam Carter was sitting vigil in the small room that Jack had been placed in. A quiet room that would keep him from being disturbed by any noises coming from the daily routine of Carson Beckett's infirmary, and would also keep people from popping in and checking on him every ten minutes – which might be a distraction for Talon, even though there hadn't been any sign that the symbiote was aware of anything that was going on outside of Jack O'Neill's still form. Sam was certain that if he had any idea how much trouble Colonel Mitchell was in, he'd be speeding up the process as much as he could. Or maybe he did know and already was doing the best he could.

She'd fallen asleep sometime in the wee hours of the night, slouched in a chair that was far less comfortable than the bed in her quarters, the sound of the monitors keeping track of Jack's vitals beeping softly and hypnotically in her ears. Carson, who was never out of the infirmary for more than a few minutes at a time and was showing his own signs of strain, stopped in and covered her with a blanket before returning to his own watch, standing at the window of the isolation room with his forehead against the glass and his tired eyes keeping track of the monitors that were telling him that Melony's fight wasn't going to last much longer.

"Sam…"

Carter bolted awake at the sound of her name, her eyes going to the bed. For the first time since he'd been put there, Jack's eyes were open, and although he looked tired and pale, there was no doubt that he knew where he was and who she was.

"Jack."

He put his hand out to hers, and she took it, her heart pounding.

"Melony?"

Sam understood the question immediately, and her hand tightened on his.

"She's in bad shape… everything's failing…"

He nodded and tried to sit up, and when he spoke again, it was a deep voice that wasn't his own.

"Get Beckett."

Sam didn't even argue. She tangled in the blanket when she jumped to her feet, but managed to cross the room and get out the door without stumbling. She passed Daniel, who was crashed on one of the examination beds, and headed for the lone figure standing at the window of the isolation room. Exactly where she'd known he was going to be.

Carson turned at the sound of her approach.

"He's awake and wants you."

"Thank God."

He hurried back to the room with her, and found Jack sitting up in his bed, the monitors going crazy because he'd pulled all his IVs out of his arm.

O'Neill looked up when Beckett entered, but again it was Talon who spoke.

"I need to get to Melony."

He felt a stab of relief and hope.

"Is Colonel O'Neill healthy enough to survive the transfer?"

Jack shuddered and took over.

"Yeah, he tells me I am. But even if I wasn't… we need to get her snake back into her."

_Don't call me that_

You _are_.

_It's not very nice_

We can discuss it later.

_Yes_

"Give me a hand…"

They both came forward, one on either side, and helped him get to his feet. Wearing only a pair of pajama bottoms – although that was better than running around naked – he stumbled his way to the door, leaning more and more on them as they went. Despite three full days of power healing, Jack wasn't at a hundred percent, but he knew his own body well enough to know that he'd recover fine on his own now. And Talon had agreed.

"Melony's condition?" Jack asked for Talon.

"Critical," Carson said. "She has an infection I haven't been able to control, and she's in shock. Her lungs are filled with fluids; her blood pressure's off the map one minute and under the scale the next. She's fevered and nothing I do can bring it in check, and-"

He trailed off, because as he'd been talking they'd been working their way across the infirmary and had reached the door of the isolation room. Beckett opened it while Sam supported Jack, who didn't need anyone to tell him that Melony was in bad shape, now.

Both O'Neill and Talon were anxious to get across the room and help her, and Carson and Sam were forced to walk faster than they'd thought Jack was able to walk just then.

"Help me to the bed," he ordered.

She looked awful. Just awful. He'd never seen someone pale and flush at the same time, but she'd managed it. Her face was sheened with sweat, and her pale hair was dark with it, despite Carson' attempts to keep her cool with wet towels.

Jack sat down heavily beside her, and leaned over her, brushing a tender kiss against her lips.

Carson and Sam didn't see the exchange, but they could see the effect immediately. Jack slumped a bit in the bed, and Melony tensed, her breath coming in a gasp as Talon reentered her body and firmly attached himself back where he belonged, already checking on her condition from the inside out now.

Carson reached to take Jack's arm, ready to take him back to his bed, but the General pulled away, weakly.

"I'll stay here…"

He was already leaning to the side, so it was a simple matter to help him lie down beside Melony, intimately close to her – especially when his arm went around her protectively. She responded immediately to that touch – and probably, Sam thought, to the feeling of completion that came with having Talon back. Her head came to rest on Jack's chest, her cheek smearing his bare skin with sweat. Neither noticed. Jack was already falling asleep again, and Melony had never really come around in any instance.

Sam watched as Carson checked their vitals, uncertain if he'd allow Jack to stay where he was – he was still deathly afraid of allowing anyone near Melony while she was so vulnerable. Finally, though, he simply covered both of them up and looked at Sam, his eyes filled with hope for the first time in many days.

"I guess they'll be okay like that…"

Sam nodded. She couldn't be jealous that Jack was holding Melony so close, and knew Carson wouldn't be jealous that Melony had reacted so comfortably to the embrace. The two of them had a bond that went beyond love, and always would. It wasn't something to be jealous of.

She put her hand in Carson's, and then moved it and took hold of his arm instead, smiling.

"Come on, Doctor Beckett. I'll buy you a cup of coffee while we wait for them to wake up."

Carson smiled.

"Tea?"

"Whatever."

They were still smiling when they left the room, closing the door carefully behind them. They weren't completely out of the woods, yet, but the trees were definitely thinning.


	90. 90

Sheppard had the late shift. He could have passed it over to Ford, telling the Lieutenant that he was tired or just wanted a break – Ford was pretty good about taking the boring shifts when John didn't want them – but he decided that he'd save up the favor for sometime when he was even more desperate to avoid it. It wasn't like it was all that hard just then, after all. There were no Wraith – something that was being confirmed more and more certainly with each passing day of silence – and Atlantis was still running the skeleton crew that they'd had since the Wraith ambush. Until they were positive of their success, and had some kind of information to give Earth, they weren't going to make contact with them. Sheppard had a sense that they were also waiting for final confirmation on how General O'Neill and Colonel Mitchell were doing, as well.

The Jaffa had been a rather subdued crowd, but even at their most intolerable they were a well-disciplined group, so they were hardly difficult to keep track of, and that made the late patrol of Atlantis far from arduous. But he was still glad when it was over. He dismissed his small squad and sent them off to find their beds, and decided that a cup of coffee might be just the thing to relax over while he wrote out the report – which was going to be almost as boring as the patrol itself had been.

Entering the commissary, he was surprised to find that Colonel Carter and Doctor Beckett were both there, sitting at a table in the corner drinking something warm and having some kind of late night (or early morning) snack – whichever way you looked at it. The rest of the room was empty, and he was wondering what had driven both of them out of the infirmary, so he poured himself a cup of coffee – made from the plants that had been on Talonopolis – and carried his report writing stuff over to the table they were sitting at.

"Can I join you?"

Both of them looked up, and Sheppard decided that they both looked a lot better than they had been the last few days. Less strained, anyways.

Carter nodded, moving a little to make room for him – although it was hardly a tight fit.

"Feel free."

"Thanks."

"Just come off patrol?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

She smiled, and he decided that she looked tired, but still looked better than she had in quite a while.

"How fares the city, Major?"

He took a sip of his coffee.

"Not a creature is stirring…" He looked at Carter, and then glanced at Beckett, unable to stop himself from asking. "How about your patients?"

Since Beckett had wondered how long it would take for him to ask, the doctor smiled.

"General O'Neill woke up about an hour ago, and Talon proclaimed himself ready to return to where he belongs. The transfer was made, and they're both resting comfortably."

"Are they going to be all right?"

"We'll have to wait and see," Carson said. "But it looks promising so far."

"That's great news."

Both Carter and Beckett nodded their agreement.

"Yes, it is."

OOOOOOO

_Hey_…

She felt a gentle – _extremely_ gentle – mental nudge, and shied away from it. Everything felt so raw just then, even mostly asleep like she was; she didn't want to wake up. The memory of just how badly she hurt when she was awake was still very fresh in her mind, and there was some relief from that pain, now, and she didn't want it to end.

_I'm here, Melony… it's not going to hurt long_

Talon…

She felt an ache deep in her chest as her breath caught, and immediately felt the symbiote loosen the tightened muscles that had just caught.

_Easy, Melony… You need to stay relaxed_

Hurts.

_I know. I'm working on it_

He didn't tease her like he normally would have. Being back where he belonged, he was well aware that she was still recovering from the ordeal, and knew she wasn't going to have any real sense of humor until she'd forgotten just how much she'd hurt. Which he'd take care of once he eased her pain even more.

How's Jack?

_Open your eyes and see for yourself_

She didn't really want to. But she wanted to know how he was doing, and knew that Talon wouldn't have told her to open her eyes if it was going to hurt her too much. So she did. And found that she was wrapped loosely in his arms, her head cheek resting against his chest.

She tilted her head, slightly, so she could look at his face, and saw that his eyes were closed and he appeared to be asleep.

_He's asleep_, Talon confirmed. _He's not much healthier than you are right now – although he's going to be fine_

You're sure?

_Of course_

She closed her eyes again, relieved. If he was going to be okay, then it had all been worth it.

_How am I?_

She felt gentle amusement. Everything he was doing was gentle, and she appreciated it, because she felt raw inside.

_I was wondering if you were going to ask_

I'm going to be okay?

_You're going to be fine. It'll be a little bit, though. We almost waited too long_

It hurt…

She could remember that pain, and because she remembered it so clearly, he could share that memory with her – although he didn't let her feel that remembered pain. She had enough to deal with still without reliving the old.

_It won't for much longer. I just needed to wake you a bit and reassure myself that you hadn't damaged anything permanently_

She could tell from his relieved tone that she hadn't, and that was a relief to her as well.

Are _you_ okay? She asked him, suddenly worried that maybe she'd asked – and was still asking – for too much from him.

_I'm fine, love. I'm going to put you back to sleep, okay?_

'k

She wasn't going to argue. And before she even managed to finish that thought, she felt him take control and carefully start to make her sleepy once more. A moment later, she was out, and he was able to return to what he'd been doing. She'd feel a lot better when she woke up next – he'd make sure of it. That was his responsibility, after all, and one that he took seriously.


	91. 91

The gate flared to life, and everyone in the control room turned to watch as Grodin glanced at the computer screen.

"It's SGC, Doctor Weir," he confirmed.

Elizabeth nodded.

"Lower the shield."

General O'Neill and Colonel Mitchell hadn't actually moved since Talon transferred back to Melony – almost twelve hours earlier – but while they'd slept Carson Beckett had been monitoring their progress as closely as he could considering Jack wasn't hooked up to any machinery. His color was good, as were what vitals signs Carson could check – and Melony had improved dramatically in the short time.

They were well enough that Beckett felt he could safely pronounce them both well on the mend, and with that information in hand, Weir opened a connection with Stargate Command, sending them what information they had on the fate of the Wraith – cautiously optimistic that things had gone according to plan – and the go ahead to send back the Athosians and the staff that had been evacuated as nonessential personnel.

The first person to come through the gate, however, wasn't Athosian, and wasn't nonessential personnel. Doctor Janet Fraiser emerged holding a medical kit and looked around with great interest at the city of the Ancients. Immediately behind her came several Athosians, including a large handful of children, and then a group of technicians. Behind these came several large pallets of supplies, which would come in handy with the extra mouths to feed – especially since what little had been left of the supplies the Jaffa had brought with them had been blown to hell with the Wraith.

Daniel hurried down the stairs the moment he saw who it was, a surprised smile on his face, and Sam followed only a little slower.

"Janet!"

If Fraiser had been hoping for a warm welcome to Atlantis, she wasn't disappointed. Daniel hadn't seen her in weeks, and with the roller coaster of events that they'd all been through, he was feeling relieved and giddy to have Janet close at hand. Ignoring her protest, he wrapped her in a bear hug and held her for a long moment, until Sam reached them, smiling broadly.

"Let me go, Daniel," Janet complained – half-heartedly, since she was just as glad to see him as he was to see her. "I can't breathe."

He did, but only after brushing a kiss against her cheek, and even then he kept an arm around her, only partially aware of the greetings that were taking place around them as Athosians were reunited with their families and techs that had remained greeted those who were returning.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Sam asked curiously.

"It's nice to see you, too, Sam."

Carter smiled.

"You know what I mean."

"General Hammond sent me. He says that while he's certain Carson Beckett is a fine doctor, he has personal reasons for wanting to make sure that General O'Neill makes a full recovery – and to that end, he sent me to make sure that it happens as quickly as possible."

"Meaning Hammond's tired of running the SGC while Jack goofs around here?"

Fraiser smiled, and nodded.

"Exactly. Besides, I'm as much of an expert on symbiotes and hosts as there is – so I might come in handy if Colonel Mitchell relapses or something."

"Doctor Beckett will probably appreciate that," Sam said. "He told me he'd never seen a Tok'ra before he met Melony."

"Where is he?"

"Probably in the infirmary."

"I'll go make my manners, then, and then someone can give me a tour." She looked around again, and shook her head. "This place is amazing."

Daniel smiled.

"You haven't seen anything, yet."

OOOOOOOOOO

"How long have they been like that?"

Carson looked at the clock.

"About thirteen hours."

"Neither has shown any sign of waking?"

"No, but Colonel Mitchell's vital signs have improved noticeably. Enough so that I'm disinclined to move either of them until one of them wakes up and wants to be."

Janet looked at the two sleeping forms and ran her hand lightly against O'Neill's cheek, checking for any sign of fever. He was warm, but not dangerously so.

"We've been keeping track of his temperature," Carson said, correctly identifying what she was looking for. "And his heart rate and blood pressure. Considering how badly injured he was, he's doing remarkably well – and I have no reason to believe he won't continue to recover."

"Talon does good work," Janet said, smiling slightly.

"Aye, that he does."

"There's no sign of stress to him?"

"Talon? No." Carson pointed at the monitor that was keeping track of Melony's vitals. On it there was an echoing readout; one that Janet knew was Talon's own vital signs. "He's fine as near as I can tell." Carson shrugged, looking just a little sheepish. "Of course, symbiotes are not my specialty…"

Janet's smile was more certain, and she put her hand lightly on his arm.

"You're doing fine, Doctor Beckett."

She turned and led him out of the room, closing the door gently behind them. Sam, Daniel and Teal'c were all standing there, waiting.

"Well?" Daniel asked.

"It looks good," Janet said. "It's not something I ever would have bet on working – except that Talon was healthy and Colonel Mitchell was in good shape before the transfer – but it seems to have worked fine. We'll know more when they wake up, but like Doctor Beckett, I'm inclined to keep them where they are until that happens."

Daniel smiled.

"That's good news."

Janet looked at Teal'c.

"How are the Jaffa?"

She, of course, knew everything that had happened. More or less, anyways. Daniel and Sam had filled her in as they'd walked to the infirmary.

"They are waiting to be informed if the plan has succeeded. I have told them it looks promising."

"What will they do without Tao?"

"Colonel Mitchell will choose his successor," Teal'c said. He didn't have any problem discussing this sort of thing with Janet – she was as much family as SG-1 was. "The Jaffa are used to losing First Primes."

"Melony isn't, though…" Daniel said, softly, wondering – and not for the first time – how she was going to handle the knowledge that Tao was dead. As far as he knew, nobody had told her, yet. Or Talon, for that matter. There hadn't been any opportunity.

"No."

Teal'c didn't say anything else about that, though. That wasn't something that needed to be shared – or discussed. Especially without Mitchell there.

Daniel put his arm around Janet's waist.

"Why don't we give you that tour now?"

"Sounds great."


	92. 92

She felt a hand slide along her cheek, and it was enough to pull her from her restful doze. Warned by Talon not to move too much right away, she opened her eyes and tilted her head just a little. And found herself looking into Jack's warm, worried eyes. He smiled, though when she opened her eyes, and she felt the hand that was holding her tighten just a little.

_As if I'd let you fall off the bed…_

Mitchell ignored that.

"Hey."

"Hi. How are you feeling?"

How _am_ I feeling?

_You're doing fine. Another day of rest and you should be all right to get up and about_

"Okay. You?"

He had been hurt far worse than her, after all.

"I'll be fine…"

Will he?

_He should be, yes_

"Good."

"Don't you _ever_ do that again…"

She tilted her head a little more, trying to decide if he was angry – and why.

_You scared him – and_ me _– when we saw how badly you reacted to losing me_

Ah.

"I had to."

He frowned, but a shadow crossed his features as if he was remembering something he'd heard or said, and he nodded.

"Just don't… worry me like that… _ever_. Understand?"

"Yes, sir."

He didn't look like he bought that, but he hugged her tight for a moment.

"You're going to be okay? Nothing permanently damaged?"

"I'm fine."

"Talon?"

"He's fine, too."

Jack was quiet for a minute, either thinking, or just trying to get a grip on where he was and the fact that he was still alive, and Melony was reminded of something else. Something she'd managed to forget about in the last day as she'd recovered, but now couldn't hold back. Talon knew, because he'd seen it in her mind, but Jack couldn't know, and he needed to.

"We lost Tao…"

It crushed her to even say it aloud, and her voice broke over the First Prime's name.

"What?"

"He crashed…" she said, softly, her eyes stinging with tears that Talon couldn't – and wouldn't – quell. "In the dark. And it's my fault."

_No, it isn't_

"Your fault?" Jack repeated, his arms tightening around her once more. "How is it your fault?"

_It's not your fault_

"I didn't set the exit point far enough away from the spires, and I didn't even consider the possibility that the Wraith might attack in the daytime – night time for Atlantis. It never even occurred to me to have them put up lights or something to warn our pilots off…"

"What about the dart?" Jack asked. "The Jaffa that were in the-"

She felt a pang as she realized she didn't know if the Jaffa that had been in the dart had been lost as well, and Talon actually had to take control of her muscles to keep her from rolling out of the bed to go find someone to ask.

_Don't try that again, Melony. You're not ready…_

Let me up.

_Not yet_

His mental voice was just as sorrowful as hers was, but he wasn't going to let her do herself any harm and he didn't even try to hide that concern from her.

She stopped fighting him, since she knew he wasn't going to let her win, and crumpled against Jack.

"I don't know… I didn't ask when Carson…" of course, she hadn't been at her best, but that was no excuse for not even considering the rest of them. She'd been in such shock to hear about Tao – who had seemed so indestructible to her – that she hadn't even-

_It's understandable_, Talon told her, soothing her much the same way that Jack was – although one was soothing the inside while the other tried to soothe the out. _We'll find out_

She nodded, relaxing despite herself – as if she had any choice.

Jack felt her relax, of course, and hugged her gently. It wasn't like she'd never lost anyone before, but he knew she would feel especially responsible for the Jaffa – since she'd been the one that had brought them in on the plan in the first place.

"We'll find out as soon as someone comes in," he promised her.

She nodded again, but Talon had had enough, and was already dealing with her worry the best way he knew how. He put her back to sleep. It was short-ranged, but it was effective, and she needed the sleep anyways. There would be time to deal with the Jaffa once they knew more about what had happened, and he knew his host well enough to know that she'd worry herself sick until she knew more.

As she fell asleep once more, Jack looked around the small room. He was still tired, too, but he didn't have a symbiote to control his bodily functions, and he _really_ had to go. _Really_ had to.

And luckily, the door opened at almost that exact moment, admitting the last person he'd expected to see.

"Doc…"

Fraiser smiled, truly pleased to see him awake – and even better; he knew who she was, which told her there was nothing wrong with his mind. Well, nothing _new_, at any rate.

"Good evening, General. Fancy meeting you here…"

"What are you-"

"I'm here to make sure you fully recover, so General Hammond can get back to his retirement."

"Oh."

There really wasn't anything he could say to that, but he was a lot happier to see her than he might have been under regular circumstances. Beckett was someone he could probably bully – Fraiser wasn't going to let him dictate his own recovery. But he _really_ had to go. And that was worth it right there, he supposed.


	93. 93

Jack had to admit that Janet was efficient when she wanted to be – and when he needed her to be. Once she knew that he was awake – and what his immediate needs were – she was quick to get him a couple of corpsmen to help into the bathroom. He was awake, after all, and not as disabled as he had been. He could pee without tubes and wires helping him and although he was weak and sore, he managed to do just that.

And then, with a little help, he made it to the bed that Fraiser had others prepare for him while he was gone. It was in the main room of the infirmary – he wasn't in need of his own room any longer, and he was surprised to see that Janet and Carson Beckett had conferred while he was gone and had decided that Melony wasn't, either. She had been put into a bed out in the main room of the infirmary as well, next to the one that Jack was being helped into, and a glance over towards her proved she was still sound asleep.

As soon as he was in bed and made comfortable, Beckett and Fraiser both approached his bed, Janet carrying his chart.

"Better?"

"Oh, _yes_. Thank you."

She smiled.

"How are you feeling?"

"Fine."

"Let me rephrase the question," Janet said, rolling her eyes and looking down at his chart. "Without using the word '_fine'_, how are you feeling?"

"I'm okay, doc. Just a little sore and tired."

"Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Good. We're going to feed you, and then I want you to get some rest." She looked over her shoulder at the small group of people (Daniel, Teal'c and Sam) who were standing close at hand. "Are you up for some company before you eat?"

Jack had followed her gaze, and his eyes met Sam's for a moment before he looked at the others.

"Definitely."

"Good."

Fraiser and Beckett turned away, and Janet waved over SG-1, telling them with that gesture that they could visit their General, and then went to Mitchell's bedside, pulling the privacy curtain closed between her bed and O'Neill's so that they could confer without being bothered by the soft greetings that were taking place at Jack's bedside.

Janet looked down at Mitchell's sleeping form, and frowned.

"She looks terrible."

Carson shook his head, reaching down and brushing his hand against Mitchell's cheek.

"She looks a _lot_ better than she did yesterday, Doctor, I assure you."

Janet hadn't missed the gentle caress in the touch – although it was thinly disguised as a check for a temperature or something. It was also impossible to miss the emotion in Beckett's voice – although that accent of his made his voice a little huskier than what she was used to. She didn't say anything, well aware that it was possible she'd missed something while she'd been away and the others were here on Atlantis, but she made a silent promise to ask Daniel about it later. Doctor Beckett was not Janet Fraiser's first choice when she thought of potential relationship choices for Melony Mitchell. She would have thought _Sheppard_, really – or maybe one of the older Marines. (She knew Mitchell's tastes didn't run to younger men, or she might have considered that Marine Corporal Sanchez, who seemed to always be close at hand – although he never actually entered the infirmary.)

Carson handed Melony's chart to Fraiser, who looked at it for a few minutes, comparing the most recent test results to those that had been taken before she'd arrived.

"Wow…" She really _had_ been hurt. Although Janet wasn't surprised; without her symbiote, Mitchell was incredibly vulnerable, it was still amazing to see what the Colonel had suffered through while waiting for Talon to heal General O'Neill.

Carson nodded, smiling in relief.

"She's doing much better."

Janet handed the clipboard back to him.

"I'm only here to make sure _General O'Neill_ gets healthy, Doctor Beckett, so I'll leave Colonel Mitchell in your capable hands."

Which was exactly how Carson wanted it, anyways. He didn't mind taking care of O'Neill, of course – or anyone else. He _was_ a doctor, after all, but he'd been concerned that Fraiser might have tried to take over Melony's care, and she was _his_ responsibility.

"Thank you, Doctor Fraiser."

"But feel free to ask if you need anything," Janet said, smiling slightly at the relief in his voice and expression. "And call me _Janet_."

Carson smiled.

"Thank you."

She nodded, and ducked behind the curtain, leaving him alone with his patient.

OOOOOOO

"How do you feel?"

Jack smiled at Sam, reaching his hand out to her as he struggled into a sitting position without jarring his aching body any more than necessary. She and Daniel both gave him a hand up while Teal'c propped him into position with a couple of pillows.

"I'm fine, guys."

She didn't look convinced. He was pale and his face was pinched with pain – especially when he'd tried to sit up.

"_Really_," he said, understanding the expression immediately. He squeezed her hand, but he was looking at all three of them. "I'm not ready to get out of bed and go on a 30 mile hike, but considering the alternatives, I feel pretty good. Just a little sore."

"No residual effects from having Talon?" Daniel asked.

"Nope. I don't think so."

"What was _that_ like?" Sam asked, curiously. "Weird?"

Jack smiled, looking over at Teal'c. He had a symbiote – although he never actually communicated with it like Jack had spoken to Talon (and vice versa).

"It was _crazy_." Jack told them. "He'd speak right into my brain, and I could actually feel him. I knew what he was thinking and what he was feeling, and I could talk to him without actually saying anything out loud."

"Oh if _only_ that worked with the rest of us. Could you imagine how much peace and quiet I'd be getting?"

They all turned and saw Janet coming through the curtain that separated them from Mitchell's bed.


	94. 94

Sam smiled at that comment – some things never changed, after all – and released Jack's hand.

"How's Colonel Mitchell?"

"She seems to be resting peacefully," Janet answered, looking back at the curtained area to see if Beckett had followed her out. He hadn't. "We'll know more when she wakes up, but her test results are coming back clean."

"That's a relief."

Jack looked at the others.

"Melony told me about Tao."

"How did she find out?"

Jack shrugged – and it hurt.

"What about the Jaffa with him?"

"One of the Light Ones managed to pull the data board out of the wreckage of the burning dart," Daniel said. "He burnt himself pretty good but Doctor Beckett said he'd be fine and he's already been released."

"Light Ones?" Janet echoed.

"A race of beings that Major Sheppard and Colonel Mitchell discovered," Teal'c said. "They are an amazing species."

"Really?" Janet hadn't ever heard Teal'c call anything – or anyone – amazing before, which led her to believe that they had to be something special.

"Another one is responsible for pulling General O'Neill out of the water when his dart crashed." Teal'c added.

"Really?" Jack asked.

Sam nodded.

"It was Kale."

"That's two I owe him."

Sam smiled.

"I'm pretty sure he's not counting."

"He did get a little beat up landing you, though," Daniel said. "So make sure you at least thank him."

"Landing?" Janet had a feeling she was missing something in this particular conversation. And Daniel couldn't help but add to the confusion in her expression once he realized that she hadn't heard of the Light Ones or their ability to transform.

"He broke a couple feathers…"

"No he didn't," Sam said, knowing from the twinkle in Daniel's blue eyes that he was just trying to confuse the poor doctor.

"He has _feathers_?" Janet asked.

"Only some times," Sam told her friend. "He and his kind can shape-shift. From human to bird, or a kind of really big dog."

"Wolf," Daniel corrected.

"Canine."

"Really?"

"Yes. It's incredible." Sam smiled. "However, I should warn you – since no one else probably _will_…" and she glanced at Daniel for a moment. "Their clothing doesn't change form with them, so if you see an eight foot tall naked blonde guy – or woman – running around, that's a Light One."

"Naked…"

"It takes a bit of getting used to," Jack said.

"I'll introduce you to one if we see one on our tour," Daniel promised. "They're really nice people."

"Uh huh."

She didn't sound convinced, but she was always more than ready to hold off a judgment on something – or someone – until she knew more about them.

"They _are_," Sam assured her. "It just takes a bit of getting used to."

"I bet." Janet actually was looking forward to seeing one of them, now, but there were other things to worry about, first. She looked at those around the bed – mainly Sam. "When his lunch comes, I want you guys to leave him alone so he can eat and get some rest."

Jack started to protest, but Sam placed her hand lightly on his forearm, stopping him.

"We will, Janet."

Fraiser gave them both an odd look, but didn't say anything – obviously the Light Ones weren't the only thing she was missing around here. So much gossip, so little time!

"Does this mean you're ready for your tour?" Daniel asked, anxious to have her to himself for a little while. They had catching up to do, also, after all, and he'd missed her.

Janet nodded. Mitchell would probably be out for a while, and O'Neill was definitely going to sleep when he'd finished eating – whether he thought he would or not. She should have a little time for a tour of the city.

OOOOOOOOO

When Beckett finally pulled himself away from Melony's bedside and came out from behind the curtain, everyone that had been visiting was gone. There was an empty tray on the table by O'Neill's bed, and the General himself was sound asleep. Carson watched his monitors for a moment, double-checked that the connection was sound, and then left both of his patients to their much-needed sleep. He was thinking that maybe he'd grab a couple hours of rest as well – he'd been shorting himself in his constant vigil over Melony and was feeling about as tired as he could ever remember feeling. With Janet Fraiser close at hand – wherever she was – and his medical staff, Carson didn't feel too nervous about leaving things in their hands. At least for a little while. He didn't even make it as far as the door, however.

"Ah, Carson."

Beckett sighed.

"What is it, Rodney?"

McKay wasn't at all fazed by the abrupt greeting. He'd had much worse.

"Is she awake?"

There was no reason to ask who he meant.

"No. She's asleep."

"How is she?"

"She'll be fine."

"Can I see her?"

"She's _sleeping_, Rodney."

"I won't wake her up."

"No, you won't. Because you _can't_ see her."

"But-"

"When she wakes up – if she _wants_ to see you – I'll let you."

Rodney frowned.

"Okay."

Beckett was fooled for a moment.

"You're not going to sneak in there and see her when my back is turned."

Rodney rewarded him with his most innocent expression.

"Would I do that?"

"Aye. But you're not going to, and I mean it. She needs rest."

"But-"

"I'll tell you this once, Rodney," Carson said, too tired to put up with McKay's sneakiness just then. "If you even think about it, I'll have the Jaffa down on you so fast you won't know what's happened."

McKay might have ignored most threats, but the Jaffa weren't one of them. While they were allies, they were also very much a force to be reckoned with, and Rodney had a lot of respect for just how dangerous they were. Especially if they decided they didn't like him for some reason. And he was pretty sure it wasn't an empty threat on Carson's part.

"Fine… Just let her know when she wakes up that I need to see her, okay?"

"I will."

"Thanks."

Rodney turned and left the infirmary, and Carson waited just long enough to make sure he wasn't going to return, and then he headed for his quarters.

Too bad he couldn't use the Jaffa more often.


	95. 95

_Time to wake up for a bit…_

Melony felt Talon's gentle nudge to wake up even as he spoke to her, and she opened her eyes, groggily, staring up at the ceiling of the infirmary while she tried to wake up a little more.

What's wrong?

_Nothing's wrong, Hot Shot_, he told her, and she felt his reassurance at the same time. He was bound and determined that she stay calm – which would help her recovery.

I'm almost better, though, right?

She _felt_ better.

_Yeah, you're doing well_

Can I get out of bed now?

_Soon_

That's not very specific.

He chuckled in her mind, but a noise to her right drew her attention before he could say anything else. Mitchell turned her head, expecting to see Carson sitting beside her bed, and was surprised to see that instead of her doctor it was Teal'c. The big Jaffa was watching her with a calm patience, and Melony felt a stab of guilt at the reminder of what she'd done to Tao. And who knew how many other Jaffa?

_It's not your fault_, Talon said – again.

She didn't feel like arguing with him – mainly because he almost always won. Instead, she turned her full attention on Teal'c, and knew that Talon was as well.

"Teal'c."

The Jaffa nodded.

"It is good to see you awake, Colonel Mitchell."

He wasn't very good at small talk – and he didn't have much of a bedside manner, but she knew he was sincere, and that was good enough. She was used to Jaffa, after all.

"How many did we lose?"

She was just as good at getting right to the point as any Jaffa, after all.

"Tao."

"And the Jaffa on his dart?"

"They are reanimated and were uninjured."

"Thank God."

She was only responsible for the loss of one life… which was bad enough, but more bearable than if she'd killed fifty more.

_You didn't kill Tao_, Talon told her, and she could feel his annoyance with her self-loathing. Which only made her feel worse.

"Indeed," Teal'c said, not mentioning how ironic it was that the one who most of the Jaffa considered to be their goddess was thanking her own deity for the safety of those who worshipped her. Then with typical forwardness that Melony had come to expect from all Jaffa, Teal'c addressed the issue of Tao's death. "You will need to speak to the Jaffa as soon as you are feeling able."

She nodded.

"I know. Talon says I'll be out of bed soon. That'll be my first stop."

Teal'c nodded, and for the first time looked slightly hesitant.

"You need a new First Prime, Colonel Mitchell."

"I know, Teal'c."

She didn't want to think about that, though. Tao had been more than just her First Prime. He'd been her friend. One of her favorite people to spend time with when she was offworld, and by far her favorite Jaffa. She'd even begun to convince him that she wasn't the goddess that he and the others thought she was – although she wasn't sure he was _really_ swayed. The thought that she wasn't going to see him again made her eyes sting with unshed tears, and she felt a tightness in her stomach and chest.

_Easy_

"I would like to be considered for that position."

_That_ caught her attention completely – _and_ Talon's.

"What?"

"I wish for you to consider my services as your next First Prime," Teal'c repeated.

She was floored. This was absolutely the last thing she expected to hear from him, and Talon's shock was even more profound – which would have been amusing to her if she'd been less dumbfounded. It actually took her a long moment to say anything.

"Teal'c. What about SG-1? And the SGC?"

"The SGC is different than it once was, Colonel Mitchell," Teal'c said. "O'Neill is no longer in command of SG-1 and Colonel Carter is increasingly occupied with the new technologies that are coming from your studies with Talon. I would not be surprised if she stepped down from SG-1 herself to concentrate more fully on those technologies – although that is not something I have discussed with her."

"Have you spoken with Jack about this?"

He shook his head.

"Not yet. However, the Goa'uld are no longer a threat to the Tau'ri – or the SGC – and therefore my expertise and knowledge of them is no longer required. You, on the other hand, could use my services, could you not?"

"Yes." Of course she could. He was already respected by all the Jaffa – even the ones who had been forced by their former masters to try and kill him whenever they were sent up against the humans – and already knew the most important responsibilities of being a First Prime. "But I can't ask you to leave Earth – and my First Prime would have to-"

"I have enjoyed my stay with the Tau'ri," Teal'c said, interrupting her. "And I am proud of the fact that I made a difference with them. But there is more to be done, and I am not needed there. I could be of use to you. And the Jaffa."

"Yeah… you could…"

God, she could think of a dozen ways she could use his help.

"There are other reasons," Teal'c said, once more looking hesitant. It was an odd thing to see in the Jaffa, and Melony couldn't help but ask.

"Such as?"

"I wish to pursue a… relationship… One I cannot pursue on Earth."

_Teyla_?

Who else?

Melony sighed, rubbing her head. She needed a chance to think about this, and even more, she needed to know that even if she was all for it (and she had to admit she kind of was) Jack was okay with it, too. As well as the other members of SG-1, since they would be most affected.

"Do me a favor, Teal'c?" she asked. "Talk to Jack about this. Let him know what you're thinking and see what he says…"

"I had planned to," Teal'c told her. "But I wanted to discuss it with you before I did – in case you already had a new First Prime in mind."

"I haven't given it any thought," she admitted.

"But you will, now?"

"Yes. Talk to Jack."


	96. 96

"Are you supposed to be out of bed?"

Mitchell looked up and smiled at Ford, who had walked into the commissary and joined her without her really noticing.

"There's no one around to tell me not to be," she admitted.

She'd checked. According to the medical staff, Carson was asleep, Fraiser hadn't been seen in a while, and when Melony had checked, Jack was softly snoring in the bed next to her own. Those were the only three people on Atlantis with the authority to keep her in bed – especially since Talon had suggested she get out and get some fresh air. She was healthy enough to – as long as she didn't do anything too strenuous – and the symbiote figured it would ease her depression over Tao a bit if she had a chance to move around and not brood about it.

Of course, she wasn't completely fit, and her walk had lasted as far as the commissary, where she and Talon had decided a late dinner was definitely in order – and maybe a quiet place to sit and consider what she and Teal'c had discussed – although Mitchell wouldn't make any decisions on that without Jack's approval. Teal'c was his own man, of course, but Melony wasn't going to steal him from the SGC, no matter how much she was beginning to like the idea of having him at her side. So she'd been sitting there, munching on a plate of crackers (there wasn't a lot of other things to choose from just then) and thinking about the future instead of the past.

"What are you doing up so late?" She asked Ford, motioning for him to have a seat if he wanted to. He sat down with a grin.

"Late night patrol."

"Ah."

"How do you feel?"

"I'm a lot better than I was," she said, pushing her plate of crackers towards him. "Not a hundred percent, yet – maybe – but close."

"You look a lot better."

She smiled.

"So how was the patrol? Anything exciting?"

Ford snorted.

"Are you kidding? With three hundred Jaffa in the city? Who'd do anything out of line?"

Melony smiled, and felt Talon's amusement as well.

"Good point."

"Kavanaugh's being a pain in the ass – but that's something Doctor Weir has to take care of. Not that he listens to her."

"What's he doing?"

Melony was only vaguely aware of who Ford was talking about. Like a lot of the scientists, Kavanaugh had been in on the lessons that she'd forced them all to take from the security forces in the city, and he'd complained bitterly about the waste of time – right up until Melony herself had commented that there might be a practical exam on the subject of self-defense and those found lacking would probably end up with something broken. Accidentally, of course.

_Of course._

Ford hesitated. It wasn't really a military matter, and Mitchell didn't have anything to do with the civilian scientists – especially now that the Wraith crisis appeared to be over. For another… it was extremely personal to Weir, and Ford had only heard it because he had overheard a couple of the scientists discussing it – and whether or not they should warn Doctor Weir.

Melony scowled.

"Aiden."

Ford looked around to make sure they were alone.

"You knew Weir is engaged?"

"Yeah."

"Apparently Kavanaugh does, too. He's talking about going to see her fiancé – and telling him what's going on between her and Kale…"

"What's going on between her and Kale is none of his business."

"I know. But he's a dick, Colonel. He's going to do it – I don't doubt it. It'll just be one more way he can stab her in the back, you know?"

She nodded. It was the kind of guy he was.

"Weir's done a lot for Atlantis," Ford said.

"I know."

She stood up.

"Where are you going?" He asked, curiously.

"To give a little back."

OOOOOOOO

Most of the scientists had their own quarters. Those few lucky enough to have hooked up with someone else – and there weren't many – shared quarters with that significant other. Kavanaugh wasn't one of those – and it didn't surprise Melony a bit. She made two stops once she left the commissary. One was to the control room to check the housing chart – which told what room each member of the expedition was quartered in. Without talking to anyone else, she simply walked in and looked. No one was about to challenge her, after all. Then she left, and headed for the large auditorium that housed her Jaffa, took two volunteers (who had already been awake and were just hanging out) and headed for the scientists' sector with the Jaffa striding purposefully behind her.

_At least they know you're alive_, Talon noted as they walked.

True.

OOOOOOOO

The doors to all the rooms on Atlantis were solidly built. They moved freely when opened, but when they were locked, they were secure, and impervious to everything from flames to who knew what kind of alien attacks. But they weren't Jaffa-proof, and Kavanaugh fell out of his bed in mute terror when the door to his quarters imploded with a terrible crashing sound. The result of a staff weapon blast and a single blow from a heavily booted foot.

Wide-eyed and wearing only a pair of boxers, with his long hair wildly arrayed all around his face, he picked himself up off the floor as Melony walked in, flanked by the two Jaffa.

"What are you doing?" he asked her, his voice high-pitched. "Don't you know how to knock?"

She didn't say anything. Not to him, anyways. Instead, she looked at the Jaffa.

"Bring him."

Then she turned away and headed for the door once more.

"Hey!"

The sanctimonious cry was cut off before it even began as the Jaffa advanced, and as Melony walked out into the corridor, she could hear muffled noises as the Jaffa bound and gagged him. Amazingly enough, no one came to investigate the staff blast – which might have had something to do with the sound-proofing of the quarters. Whatever it was, when the Jaffa emerged a few minutes later – with Kavanaugh slung over one of their shoulders – no one even noticed.

Mitchell nodded her approval, and led the Jaffa down the hall. This was going to be fun.


	97. 97

_Author's Note: For the reviewer who anonymously reviewed 'so I could delete it', know that I never delete any review, good or bad. However, since you don't like the story, just for you "THE END". There. Now you don't have to read any further, because I'd hate to waste your time. For everyone else – and those who sent me support in reviews and emails –_ thank you very much_! I appreciate the kind words and hope you'll read on. (And if I'm spelling Kavanaugh's name wrong, sorry about that!)_

OOOOOOOO

"Doctor Kavanaugh…"

The scientist in question jumped at the sound of his name, and whirled around so quickly that the ponytail he normally wore his hair in actually came around and slapped him in the face.

"Yes?"

Elizabeth Weir raised an eyebrow in what was (although she didn't know it) an almost exact copy of the same way Teal'c regarded members of SG-1 when he was faced with something puzzling, or out of his area of experiences. The doctor was pale – even for him – and a little wild-eyed, and for the briefest moment, Weir actually thought she saw a trace of fear in the eyes that were usually so contemptuous when they looked at her.

"Are you all right?"

It wasn't the question she'd meant to ask, but it was the first one that came to mind.

He wet his lips – nervously? – and nodded.

"Fine, ma'am. What can I do for you?"

Now her second eyebrow joined the first in her hairline – as did several others around the room. You could almost hear the thuds as jaws dropped to the floor. None of the scientists had ever heard him call her ma'am. _Ever_. Weir actually hesitated, as if waiting to hear the punch line, but when he didn't say anything, but continued watching her (as if he really did want to know if there was anything she needed), she managed to speak again.

"Have we picked up any trace of Wraith activity?"

He shook his head, and although he'd been monitoring the computers for the last hour or so – since the start of his shift mid-morning – he looked down at the screen.

"No, Doctor Weir. Nothing. The telemetry on the captured darts has been completely dead – and we've been keeping a non-stop eye on it, as you know."

Elizabeth couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. She hadn't really wanted to believe it, because she hated to get her hopes up only to dash them, but it was beginning to look like the Wraith may well and truly be gone. Finished.

"Very well. Keep me informed, please." She headed for the door to the command center to go report to General O'Neill and Colonel Mitchell.

"Yes, Ma'am."

She cast another quick look over at Kavanaugh, wondering if she should have him accompany her to the infirmary and have Carson give him a CAT scan, but decided that whatever was going on, it'd end soon enough she was sure. Instead, she walked out the door.

"What the _heck's_ going on with you?"

Kavanaugh frowned at the tech who was standing beside him.

"What are you talking about?"

"'_Yes, ma'am_?'" He echoed, incredulous.

"_You_ call her ma'am."

"That's because _I_ like and respect her." He didn't need to add the rest of that unfinished line. Everyone knew Kavanaugh didn't like _or_ respect Weir.

Kavanaugh scowled, and returned to his computer monitor.

"Maybe it's time I tried a little harder."

Everyone else was still staring at him, but he didn't look up again.

OOOOOOOO

"You're cheating."

"No, I'm not."

"Yes, you are."

"I'm not. You're just being a poor loser."

"I am not."

"Are."

"You're counting cards…"

Melony rolled her eyes, looking over her hand at Jack, who was scowling.

"You can't count cards in Gin, Jack."

"You probably figured out a way. I know you're not this good at this game."

_Spoken like someone who is slowly but surely losing his shirt_

Melony smiled.

"Just say Uncle and we can stop whenever you want…"

He scowled again, looking down at his cards.

"I _taught_ you this game, Missy. Don't even _think_ I'm going to let you win – even if you _are_ cheating."

Melony started to reply, when they were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing her throat. Both of them turned and saw Elizabeth standing at the foot of Jack's bed, smiling to see the two of them arguing like a couple of children.

"Doctor Weir," Melony said, smiling a greeting to her from the chair she was sitting in. "Have you _ever_ heard of counting cards in Gin?"

Elizabeth shook her head, amused at being drawn into the inane argument.

"Never, I'm afraid."

"See?" Mitchell said, looking at Jack. "I can't be counting cards. Face it; you just suck."

"You could have _figured_ out a way. That snake's pretty smart."

Talon snorted, making Melony's smile turn into a wide grin, and Jack scowled again, and then looked at Weir.

"How are you, Doctor?" He asked, pointedly ignoring Melony's smile.

"Fine, General. Yourself?"

"Never better."

Well, she didn't believe that, exactly, but he _did_ look a lot better than he had. He was still bandaged in several places, and wearing a brace on his right arm, which was supporting a more or less healed break. There was an air cast on his right ankle, doing the same thing. He wasn't a hundred percent, but according to both Fraiser and Beckett (who had given Weir a report that very morning when she'd come to the infirmary to see if there was anything new she needed to know about) he was well on his way to healing and both doctors were pleased with his recovery.

"Any Wraith activity?" Melony asked, changing the subject.

Elizabeth smiled, and shook her head.

"Doctor Kavanaugh says we haven't hear a peep out of them on the telemetry on the stolen darts."

"Have we got any probes in the area of Talonopolis, yet?" Jack asked, more than willing to change the subject.

"The first of the ones we sent through the Stargate on A-052 should be getting close. Maybe by this evening we'll have some pictures."

The morning before, desperate for real pictures, they'd gated to the closest planet that they knew of that held a Stargate, and had launched several probes (powered by the Light One's mini ZPMs) toward the direction of Talonopolis. Or, more precisely, where Talonopolis had been.

"Good work, Doctor."

"Thank you, General."

Elizabeth left the room, feeling better than she had in weeks, and Jack looked at Melony.

"Speaking of Kavanaugh…"

"Were we?"

"Sheppard mentioned in his report this morning that the little weasel's door was blown completely off its hinges sometime in the middle of the night."

"I thought I saw some termites… maybe we should call an exterminator – if things get out of hand."

He gave her a look that was filled with questions – and no small amount of amusement – but Melony knew he'd never ask her what had happened. Despite the fact that he was on his back just then, Jack was very much aware of everything that went on around him. It was his job to be. Even if people didn't think he'd care – or think that it was none of his business.

"Termites, huh?"

That was a lame story, even for her.

She gave him her best innocent look and turned back to her cards.

"Huge termites…"

"Uh huh."

He laid down a discard, and she promptly picked it up, and then dropped her cards on the little table between them.

"Gin."

_Damn it._


	98. 98

Mitchell walked into the room that held her Jaffa, and felt a now familiar stab of guilt and grief at the reminder of the loss of Tao. She fought down the ache, though, and watched as the Jaffa assembled themselves, warned ahead of time that she was coming so that they wouldn't be caught off-guard. Nothing worse than being reviewed by your goddess after she'd caught you in your underwear, after all. Which had been the whole idea of sending a warning ahead of time.

_Maybe they go commando…_

The sting of loss was eased a little with that comment, and Melony hid her smile as easily as she hid her pain.

That's in the category of too much information.

_You could ask Teal'c_

Not a chance.

_You could ask _Teyla 

She snorted, turning it into a cough to hide her mirth, but luckily none of the Jaffa noticed – or at least they didn't comment on it.

Melony walked up to the first rank of Jaffa, who were standing at what for them was attention – and was pretty impressive considering the amount of armor they were wearing. The only thing missing were their staff weapons and other weapons, which they weren't carrying just then.

She nodded to the first of them, signaling approval, and moved on to the others, carefully inspecting all of them. Not because she expected there to be a need, but because the Jaffa expected it of her – and she wanted things as normal as they could be with the Jaffa just then.

_You're doing fine_

She didn't answer him. Instead, she moved on to the next rank, and the next, until she'd carefully inspected all 300 Jaffa – minus the two that had been guarding the entrance to the room.

When she was finished, she turned her back on them and walked to the front of the room, just as Teal'c walked in and silently stood a few steps behind her. Not in the exact position of a First Prime, because they still hadn't completely finished that conversation, but in a spot of honor, because he deserved to be there with the other Jaffa. She turned to face them once more, not acknowledging Teal'c's arrival with anything more than a glance.

"You are a credit to your people, and your families," Talon told them, taking over but using words he and Melony had both agreed on. "What you have accomplished here was without a doubt one of the most important battles that has ever been waged, and I'm proud to be able to say that I know those who were brave enough to stand and fight to protect those in peril. People you didn't even know, but who will learn of you and your bravery – and will not fear you, but will always be grateful to you for what you have done and the sacrifice you were willing to make for them."

A sacrifice _they_ had been willing to make, but one Mitchell had done her best to keep them from making. And had nearly succeeded.

The Jaffa listening straightened even more – as if it were possible – and their shoulders came back, their heads came up as they all but preened under her praise. But they didn't say anything. And Talon continued.

"The day after tomorrow, we'll be heading back – and all will hear of your deeds and valor, and of the enemy you helped to destroy. Today, however, we have one final task to complete."

She turned and headed for the door, and Teal'c took charge, gesturing at the assembled Jaffa to form up in lines, which they did immediately. Then they followed their goddess out of the door and down the hall to the Jumper bay.

OOOOOOOO

The day was sunny and bright, and the mainland was in full bloom. Flowers were blossoming everywhere, sharing their warm fragrances with the gentle wind that blew across the faces of those assembled, and the colors were vivid and cheerful. Far too cheerful for the purpose of the gathering.

The funeral pyre was mountainous, well-treated logs had been cut and stacked perfectly, and Tao's dead form had been dressed in full armor and laid gently to rest upon the summit. The Jaffa who were gathered to pay their final respects to one of their own who had fallen were joined by several others – mostly Atlanteans, although there were several Athosians as well, and Kale and Char had elected to come as well. While their presence might have been frowned upon by the Jaffa under normal circumstances, in this instance it wasn't. The Jaffa were well aware that Char was sporting bandages on his arms because of burns received while he was saving many of their lives, and if for no other reason, that more than made him a welcomed addition – and Kale as well.

The Light Ones were dressed in well-fitting clothing, dark blue instead of black – and even wore boots, which Melony might have wondered about if she hadn't had more on her mind just then. The humans who were military were in full dress uniforms – which were as sharp as if they'd been made only the week before, since there hadn't been a lot of use for formal wear in Atlantis thus far – and the scientists and the Athosians were dressed in muted colors; blacks and blues for the most part, out of respect for the soberness of the occasion.

Melony herself was dressed in full armor; armor that she'd never worn, because she didn't like the way it creaked when she moved, but which she'd always carried – just in case she'd needed it. It shone brilliant gold in the full sunlight, and several times the radiant gleam had caused people to shield their eyes for a moment when it was directed at them as she moved.

"She _looks_ like a system lord…" Rodney said, softly, from his position between Weir and Sheppard.

"You doubted?" Elizabeth asked, watching as Mitchell walked up to a small fire that had been started off to the side of the pyre.

"No… it's just… she's a lot more _imposing_, now."

Especially since she looked about as stony-faced as any of them had ever seen her.

"Yeah."

They fell silent, watching as Mitchell picked up a burning branch, and held it high for the assembled Jaffa to see. Without saying anything, she tossed the branch onto the pyre, and the treated wood caught immediately. In only a matter of minutes the flames were so high that they couldn't see Tao's body at the top.

"Isn't she supposed to say something?" Carson asked, curiously. He'd been standing beside Daniel, with Jack on the other side, and Sam on the far side of Jack, supporting him as he tried to remain upright long enough for the ceremony.

"She just did," Daniel said, softly. "There's no greater honor to a Jaffa than having their funeral pyre lit by their god – their system lord. Whether she wants them to think it or not, Melony's their goddess, and she's just told the others that Tao was – and always _will_ be – one of her favorites. Blessed among all other dead, and will be a great leader in their after-life."

No one responded to that, but it was plain they were all thinking about it as Mitchell stood to the side watching the pyre burn. After a few minutes of respectful silence the Jaffa began moving towards the Jumpers once more, telling the humans who were with them that the ceremony was over, but Melony didn't move. Consumed by her own guilt and anguish, she held her position, and none of them went over to talk to her, having been warned by Teal'c not to say anything to her until she spoke first – at least as long as the Jaffa were there.

So she was left alone – although Talon was, as he _always_ was, right there with her.


	99. 99

The last Jumper filled with Jaffa took off for the city, and Carson gave a silent sigh of relief.

"Doctor Fraiser," he said softly, his eyes not leaving Melony's silent form. "Would you be so kind as to see General O'Neill back to the infirmary? Major Sheppard will fly the Jumper back."

"Hey," Jack said quickly, his eyes also on Mitchell. "I'm fine to-"

"You shouldn't be out of bed," Janet said. "It's a wonder you haven't fallen on your face already…"

"But-"

"Jack," Sam said, squeezing his hand gently. She knew what he wanted to do, but also knew that Beckett was the one to take care of this. If Jack had been in good health it might not have mattered, but Melony needed a chance to lean on someone who wasn't going to keel over.

Carson was already moving, though, not giving O'Neill a chance to argue with him, and as the others watched silently he walked over to stand beside her.

"We'd better get going…"

Jack hesitated a moment longer, but finally let Sam lead him away. Not because he wanted to, though. He didn't really have the energy to argue right then, and he figured he could always check on Melony later, after she returned to the infirmary as well. He'd get her alone and give her whatever support he could.

"Shouldn't we wait and put the fire out?" Kale asked, curiously. He – of course – had never participated (or witnessed) a Jaffa funeral, and didn't know what was normally done. Of course, aside from Teal'c, who had attended far too many, none of the others had, either.

Daniel shook his head. He hadn't been to any, but he knew what happened.

"The wood is treated with a liquid that will burn it down to ashes quickly, and the ashes will be allowed to be blown away with the wind. Colonel Mitchell will stay and make sure it doesn't get out of control."

Of course, they were on a sandy beach, so it was unlikely anything could be set ablaze even if the fire did get out of hand. Already, though, the blazing fire was beginning to die a little, and Daniel knew it wouldn't be more than a few hours before it was nothing ore than ashes.

"Come on," Weir said, softly, unwilling to intrude on Colonel Mitchell's grief any longer. "Let's get back to the city."

They turned and headed for the last of the Jumpers, and boarded two of them, leaving one so Mitchell and Beckett could get back when they were finished, and a few minutes later, they took off.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

They stood in silence for a long time. Carson not speaking because he wasn't sure if he was supposed to, and Melony lost in her thoughts as she watched the flames burning in front of her, ignoring the heat from the fire as it warmed her face and caused the armor she was wearing to heat up until she was sweating underneath it. None of it mattered just then. Nothing mattered, really. She hadn't realized just how much she'd relied on Tao until she'd lost him, and hadn't realized how find of him she'd become. And she'd never told him. He'd known she was pleased with him, but that wasn't the same, and Melony knew it. Now she'd never have the chance.

_He was a good man_

Yes.

_And he loved you very much_

You don't know that.

_Yes, I do_

Talon brought to mind the very first meeting they'd had after the fall of the System Lords, and the pride and excitement that had been obvious in the eyes of those First Primes that had been assembled – including Tao.

_You freed him from a cruel master and allowed him to be the man he wanted to be. How could he not love you for that?_

I failed him.

_It was an _accident_, Melony. They happen_

It didn't make her feel any better, though.

"Melony?"

Carson's soft voice broke through her thoughts, and she turned to look at him. And she realized something. And spoke before even Talon could stop her.

"You shouldn't be with me, Carson…"

His eyes, so sad to begin with, turned uncertain.

"What?"

"Everyone I care about dies…" she said bitterly. "You should leave while you have the chance…"

He'd thought she meant just then. That there was some taboo against him being with her at the end of the burning ceremony. Instead it was something far more profound, and the self-loathing he heard in her voice made him reach out and rest his hand on her armored forearm.

"That's not true."

"Yes it is. Michael. My parents. Brad. I tried to kill _Daniel_ once, too, you know… and Jack just about died the other-"

"Those have nothing to do with _you_," he told her. "It's a part of living – to die. It has nothing to do with who we love."

She shook her head, and turned back to the fire.

"I'm bad luck. You should run while you still can."

"I'm not leaving you."

"You will. Everyone does, eventually."

Now her voice carried only hurt, and a pain so profound that Carson thought his own heart would break. He pulled her around, taking her face in his hands and making her look at him.

"Eventually, yes. But not any sooner than I absolutely have to – and I'll love you all the harder knowing that some day we won't be together. It's the only thing you can do, Melony… and it's a hell of a lot better than pushing everyone away so they don't hurt you when they die."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and when they trickled down her cheeks he wiped them away with his thumbs, his eyes locked on her own.

"I love you. I couldn't leave you any more than Talon could."

She hesitated, just long enough that he was beginning to think it hadn't been enough; that she was still going to try and convince him to run. But then she sobbed, and Carson caught her as her knees buckled, and held her tight as she cried out her grief and loss.

"I've got you, Melony…" he crooned in her ear, pressing his lips against her and holding her so hard that the armor she was wearing made his arms ache. "I'm not letting you go."


	100. 100

Only a few minutes after Janet Fraiser had settled her unwilling patient back into his bed – with Sam in attendance to back Janet up if she needed it, the door to the infirmary opened and Daniel and Teal'c came through, Daniel looking curious and Teal'c's expression as unreadable as always. The two headed for Jack's bed, and Teal'c gave Carter a slight bow in greeting as Daniel looked at Jack.

"Got a minute?"

Jack scowled, wondering if Daniel was being a smart ass. It wasn't like he was going anywhere in the next half hour, now was he?

"I think I can spare some time," he answered, trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice in case Daniel hadn't been trying to goad him. "What's up?"

"I don't know," Daniel said, looking at Teal'c. "I was just asked to come."

Jack and Sam both looked at Teal'c, too.

"I wish to leave the SGC," Teal'c said without preamble. "Since it is an issue that will affect all of you, I deemed it best to have you all present when I spoke to O'Neill."

They all stared at him, and Daniel was the first to find his voice.

"You want to leave?"

"Where will you go?" Sam asked.

"With the death of Tao, Colonel Mitchell will need a new First Prime," he answered.

"And she asked you?" Jack asked.

"I asked her," Teal'c corrected. "She did not give me an answer, but instead told me that she would prefer I spoke to you."

Which didn't surprise Jack at all. Melony wasn't the kind of person to go behind anyone's back, after all, and she wouldn't want him to think that she had approached Teal'c about coming to work for her.

"Do you _want_ to be her First Prime?" He asked.

"What about the SGC?" Sam asked.

"I am not needed as much at the SGC as I once was; with the fall of the System Lords there is little danger of a Goa'uld threat."

"We still need you, Teal'c…" Daniel said, not wanting the Jaffa to feel unneeded.

"As much as Colonel Mitchell does?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Daniel hesitated.

"Will the other Jaffa accept you as a First Prime?" Jack asked, curiously. "You know… with the whole Shol'va thing?"

"They will not be consulted," Teal'c said. "It is not for the Jaffa to decide who will replace a fallen First Prime, but for the System Lord – in this case, Colonel Mitchell – to decide who will be Tao's successor. The Jaffa will accept him, no matter what, because they know to do otherwise would be to risk the Wrath of their goddess."

"Even though she doesn't want them to believe in her…" Daniel said.

"She is making an effort in that direction, yes," Teal'c said. "These changes will come slowly, however, and it is another area where I feel I could make a contribution to her. More than what I can do were I to remain with the SGC."

Jack understood why Teal'c wanted to go. He just didn't really want to let him go. They'd been friends for a long time, after all, and had saved each other countless times. Which tended to bond you tight with someone else. However, he didn't own Teal'c. No more than Apophis had – and it wasn't Jack's decision what Teal'c did with his time. If he wanted to go, Jack wasn't going to try and keep him – and he wasn't going to give him a guilt trip about leaving. However…

"You're sure this is what you want?"

"It is, O'Neill."

"Then for what it's worth, you have my blessing to go. As long as you understand that we still expect you to come visit…"

Teal'c smiled, and nodded.

"I will."

"We're going to miss you," Sam said, reaching out and taking his hand and squeezing it.

"I will only be a call away."

"Promise?"

"Indeed."

She smiled, and let his hand go.

"When do you leave?" Jack asked.

Teal'c shook his head.

"I have not been made First Prime, yet."

He couldn't make plans to go until he had.

"Want me to talk to Melony?"

"She will undoubtedly come find you."

"Good."

He'd make sure she chose Teal'c – whether she wanted to or not. Most powerful System Lord ever or not, she would do what he told her. Or he'd… give her a noogie or something.

"You could do a lot as First Prime," Daniel said, thinking it over now that he'd gotten over the biggest part of the surprise that Teal'c had asked to leave. "Especially with Melony…"

"There is much to be done. Including finding a home for the Mok as soon as possible."

It was obvious he was looking forward to the challenges ahead of him, though, which made Jack feel better about losing him.

"When Melony gets back from the mainland I'll talk to her," he promised.

"Thank you, O'Neill."

OOOOOOOOOO

The fire had completely burned itself out, now. All that was left were smoldering ashes and coals, and soon even the coals would be burned down to the smallest ashes and would blow away on the wind.

Melony watched as the wind began carrying away those ashes that were already burned out and feather light, and she swallowed the sorrowful lump in her throat that seemed to be keeping her from breathing or speaking. Beside her, Carson shifted where he stood, and watched some of the ashes blow away.

"What do you do now?" He asked Melony when he saw her look over at him.

She shook her head.

"Nothing. There's no ceremony or anything… the wind carries him away…"

"I didn't mean it that way," Carson admitted. "I meant, what do you plan on doing next?"

"I have to choose a new First Prime and get on with things," she said.

"Do you have one in mind?"

He wondered how she was going to choose out of so many Jaffa. He'd seen three hundred, but he knew there were millions.

"Teal'c."

"Really?"

That hadn't crossed his mind.

"If Jack doesn't need him…" she qualified. "He's already expressed an interest…"

"And if General O'Neill doesn't allow him to go…?"

Melony smiled. It was a sad smile, but it was, nonetheless, a smile.

"Jack's not like that. Teal'c isn't his to order around, and he knows it. If Teal' wants to be my First Prime, he will be."

"And me?"

She looked over at him.

"_You're_ not a Jaffa… my First Prime needs to be a Jaffa."

Carson smiled, knowing she'd misunderstood – probably on purpose.

"What does the future hold for you and me?"

"Whatever you want it to, Carson. I'm not going away for good tomorrow, and what I have with you wasn't intended to just be a distraction while I try to beat the Wraith… there's plenty to be done, and no reason you can't do it with me – if you want to, that is."

"But you're leaving tomorrow…"

She nodded.

"I have to go back with the Jaffa. They need me." She hesitated, looking at the ashes again. "And I need to talk to Tao's family…"

"Can I come with you?"

"No." It was obvious from her tone of voice that she wished it were otherwise, and Carson didn't feel the stab of rejection that he might have otherwise. "The next time, maybe… but I don't plan on being gone long. There is plenty to do here – as well as back home."

He nodded.

"And tonight?"

She smiled again, and this time there wasn't so much sadness in the expression.

"Tonight I'm going to spend with you."


	101. 101

When Mitchell brought the Jumper down through the hole that opened in the ceiling of the Jumper bay, she saw that someone had been sent to meet the ship, and wondered why.

Sanchez was carrying his sidearm, so he saluted when she and Carson exited the rear of the hatch, and waited for Melony to return it before speaking.

"Colonel. General O'Neill asks that you come see him in the infirmary as soon as you landed."

He couldn't help but be impressed by the outfit she was wearing; it looked like what most of the Jaffa had been wearing, only a lot more impressive – even though she wasn't anywhere near as large as any of them had been. Melony ignored Talon's amusement at how Duck was trying not to stare, but was still staring.

"Was it General O'Neill, or was it Doctor Fraiser?"

"General O'Neill."

Which meant that it wasn't a medical problem, and that was a relief.

"Thank you, Corporal."

"You're welcome."

He hesitated, though, and Melony had a feeling there was more he wanted to say, so she gave him the opportunity.

"Did you need something, Corporal?"

He seemed to make a decision, because he nodded.

"Your First Prime… I just wanted to tell you that I thought he was a good guy."

Duck would have had a chance to get to know him; too, as he trained with Tao and the others making sure they'd be able to fly the lava tubes of the base. Melony felt a stab of guilt, and nodded.

"Thanks, Corporal. I think he was, too."

"Is there anything I can do?"

She shook her head, feeling the sting of tears and knowing she needed to get out of there quick. Corporals didn't see Colonels cry, after all.

"No, but thank you for the offer…"

She put her hand on his shoulder for just a moment as she walked by, and Sanchez watched her go.

"She's okay," Carson said, noticing the concerned look in the Corporal's eyes.

"Yes, sir."

Beckett went to catch up with Melony, and Sanchez turned and headed back towards the command center. He'd passed O'Neill's message on – and his own – and he had other duties to take care of.

OOOOOOOOO

By the time she'd reached the infirmary – and with a bit of help from Talon – Melony had herself back under control. It helped that Carson was once more beside her, and hadn't said anything about the near break-down, one way or the other. Another thing that helped was the cup of coffee that he handed to her as they entered the infirmary. She hadn't thought to ask for one – a sure sign of just how preoccupied and distressed she was – but he knew she'd probably need some, whether she knew it or not.

O'Neill was asleep when she walked over to his bed, and Fraiser met her and Carson there. Janet's eyes were quick to scan Melony, as if looking for any sign that she needed to put her back to bed as well. All she saw, however, was grief, and bed rest wasn't a cure for that.

"He said to wake him if you came in and he was asleep," she said, gesturing to Jack.

Melony nodded, and sat down on the edge of the bed, while Janet gestured for Carson to join her. When she was alone with him, Melony reached out and touched Jack's side, carefully, since she wasn't sure exactly where he hurt most and didn't want to aggravate anything.

"Hey… wake up."

"Hmmm?"

He didn't open his eyes, and she scowled.

"Jack."

"What?"

"Wake up."

"I'm awake."

"Try opening your eyes, just so I can be sure…"

"I'm sleepy."

"You wanted to see me."

Armed with information from Talon – who knew exactly where Jack was hurting and where he wasn't – Melony poked him. And he opened his eyes, scowling.

"Hey…"

"Sorry."

"No, you're not. You did that on purpose."

"Corporal Sanchez said you wanted to see me… Fraiser said to wake you up."

"I'll bet she didn't tell you to _stab_ me."

"I didn't stab you. I _poked_ you."

"It feels like you stabbed me."

"Don't be such a baby."

He rubbed his side, while Melony looked closer (and could feel Talon looking as well).

"You look a lot better than I expected you to…" she finally said.

"Your snake does good work."

_I told him not to call me that _

"Talon says thanks."

_That's not what I said_

Close enough.

Talon grumbled in her head, and Melony smiled, feeling a little better at the banter coming from both sides.

"You wanted to see me?"

Jack nodded, sitting up a little more.

"I had an interesting conversation with Teal'c a few hours ago."

"Yeah?"

"He told me he wants to leave the SGC."

"And become my First Prime," Melony said, nodding. "I know. He came to me, first."

"What are you going to do?"

She shrugged.

"It depends on you."

"He's not mine to command, Melony. You know that."

"But he is your friend, Jack, and if you need him more than I do, then I'll tell him that."

"I don't. As much as I want him around, he's pretty much convinced me – and the others – that you need him more."

She nodded.

"I could use him."

"Yeah… that's pretty much what I thought. So he'll leave with you tomorrow?"

"Yes."

Which told him that Melony was more than ready to ask Teal'c to come with her – and she knew that he would.

"For how long?"

"A week, maybe two…" she shrugged. "We'll have to get some things settled, and I need to take care of a few things."

"And then what?"

She sighed. It seemed like that was the question of the week, didn't it?

"There's a lot to do, Jack. But the first thing I need to do is get the Jaffa settled – and the Mok."

"On this side of the gate or the other?"

"The Mok?"

"Yeah."

"Probably on the other side, where there will be plenty of Jaffa to watch over them."

"And Teal'c?"

"He'll probably be doing a lot of gating – like me."

There were things to do on both sides of the gate, after all, and Melony knew she wouldn't be able to do it all herself. Besides, she didn't know what Teyla was planning, and that would have some bearing on things, as well, if Teal'c were interested in any kind of permanent arrangement with the Athosian. She wouldn't separate the two if she could avoid it – and Teyla could come in handy. If she were willing.

"Good." He closed his eyes, his concerns all taken care of for the moment at least. "Assemble your Jaffa at 0900 tomorrow morning in the command center."

"What? Why?"

"Because I said so. Now scoot, Colonel. I'm tired and I'm going back to sleep."

"Hey."

He didn't even open his eyes, and Melony poked him again.

"Stop that."

"What are we doing in the morning?"

"It's a secret."

"You can't-"

"Yes, I can. Go away, before I have Fraiser keep you here."

Grumbling, Melony got off Jack's bed and walked over to where Janet and Carson had been talking.

"How is he?" She asked Janet, still frowning at how Jack had managed to pull rank on her.

"He'll be fine. How are you feeling?"

She nodded.

"Better. Thank you. I'm going to go talk to Teal'c, get something to eat and get out of this outfit."

"It looks good on you."

Melony smiled.

"Thanks."


	102. 102

When Mitchell went looking for Teal'c, she couldn't find him. Actually, she probably _could_ have – had she looked any further than the commissary, the command center and his quarters – but since in her wanderings of Atlantis as she looked for Teal'c, she didn't see Teyla, either, and her and Talon decided that the Jaffa was probably off somewhere with her. And didn't need any more company just then. So she took a page out of Jack's book, and left a message with a couple of the Marines that would be on duty all night, telling them if they saw Teal'c, to pass on the message that she'd like him packed and ready to go by 0800 the next morning – even though they wouldn't be leaving just then.

She went to her quarters, stripped out of her armor and changed into an Atlantean uniform, which was far more comfortable, and then she headed for the commissary for a much needed meal, and maybe even some company. But the company found her before she'd even gone a dozen steps in the direction of the commissary.

"Colonel Mitchell!"

She turned and saw McKay heading for her, and stopped to wait for him.

"Rodney."

He puffed up just a little, preening at the casual address.

"Melony. Do you have a minute?"

She nodded.

"I'm on my way to get some dinner. Care to join me?"

"Thank you."

They turned and started down the corridor, and Rodney spoke up.

"What are you going to do now? Or is it presumptuous of me to ask?"

_Like that ever stopped him before…_

"You mean long termed plans?" She asked, ignoring Talon's amused sarcasm.

"Yes."

""I'm taking the Jaffa back tomorrow, and then I'm going to start looking for a place to settle the Mok."

"Do you have any place in mind?"

She shook her head.

"I haven't given it a lot of thought, really."

She hadn't had time, after all. Not with everything else.

"What are you going to do with the Wraith darts once you've finished moving the Mok?"

"What?"

"The Wraith darts," he repeated, and she knew he was barely able to keep himself from saying it slowly, like you might to a child. "What are you going to do with them?"

"Me?"

"You stole them. I suppose, technically, that makes them yours, right?"

She hadn't even thought of that.

"I don't know, Rodney. Why?"

"I'd like one."

"There are better means of transporta-"

He made an exasperated sound.

"I don't want to _fly_ it. I want to learn more about it."

Of course he did. He was a scientist.

_Don't give them all away_, Talon said, suddenly, interjecting himself into the conversation where a moment ago he'd been simply a passive listener. _I want to learn more about them, too_

"Let me talk to Jack, Rodney… I'll see what he wants to do."

McKay looked like he might argue, but instead he nodded. It wasn't like he didn't have a lot of Ancient's technology to look through, too, after all.

"Thank you."

"Sure."

"Now… about your Mok… Which side of the Stargate were you thinking of settling them on? We did, after all, find several planets that are similar to Talonopolis here in Pegasus that might fit your needs…"

She smiled as they entered the commissary, fairly certain that he was being so helpful on the assumption that the faster the Mok were settled, the sooner she'd be able to turn her attention to giving him a dart.

_Or he might be showing off…_

McKay?

Talon snorted at the shocked disbelief in Melony's mental voice, and her smile turned into a grin.

"I'm not certain where I'm going to put them, yet," she admitted. "Someplace with a lot of Jaffa."

"You could always bring the Jaffa here."

The two of them walked over to the buffet tables and started loading plates with food.

_He's right, you know? We planned on bringing them here anyways – we could find a world here for the Mok just as easily, and maybe even easier, than on the other side of the gate…_

Maybe.

Melony shrugged.

"It's something to think about, Rodney. Thanks for the suggestion."

"Any time."

"If you'd compile a list of planets – unpopulated – while I'm gone…"

"My pleasure."

_He must really want one of those darts…_

He's not that bad a guy, Talon. It just doesn't always show.

Talon didn't actually agree, but he didn't say anything to the contrary, either. Of course, he was a lot older than Melony, and he figured he was allowed to be cynical.

"Colonel…"

Melony was brought out of her conversation with Talon by Weir's greeting as she and Rodney made their way to one of the tables – this one fairly well filled with personnel. If she'd wanted to sit aloe and brood, she was to be disappointed, because everyone at the table gave her a welcoming greeting, making it impossible for her to gracefully decline an invitation to sit with them.

"Good evening," she said, sitting down beside Sheppard.

"How are you doing?" Weir asked, although it was pretty obvious everyone was curious – or worried.

"I'm fine, thank you."

Weir didn't look completely convinced, but she didn't ask again, either, and Melony appreciated it. She dug into her meal hungrily, letting Talon keep tabs on the conversations around her – which seemed to be centered on the fact that there still hadn't been any indication that any Wraith had managed to survive the explosion that had destroyed Talonopolis.

OOOOOOOOO

By the time Carson had managed to track down Mitchell, the table she was at was packed with people. Daniel and Sam had both joined them, as well as Zelenka, Ford, Kale and Char, and Grodin. Teyla and Teal'c were glaringly absent, but no one mentioned this. Which was probably just as well, since Teal'c could break any of them in half, and Teyla was more than capable of taking care of any of those that Teal'c missed.

McKay spotted Beckett first, and waved him over.

"Carson!"

Melony looked up from her meal, and Talon reminded her to chew and swallow before she choked. She did as she was told, but her smile of welcome was enough for Beckett, and he sat down beside her, pressed fairly close due to the others around them.

"I'm not staying," he said, more to Rodney and the others. "I just came to claim my patient."

Mitchell frowned, shaking her head. She was fine.

_Maybe he's not talking about sending you back to the infirmary_… Talon said, slyly.

Oh, good point.

OOOOOOOOOO

They spent the evening together, mainly in her quarters where they knew that no one would bother them unless it was an emergency. She'd intended to stay awake and cuddle for a while – something they hadn't really had that much opportunity to do – but the long day filled with emotional roller coasters and the fact that she still wasn't completely recovered from her ordeal without Talon caught up to her before too long, and she fell asleep in his arms as they were discussing the Mok.

His own day hadn't been so rough, but he'd had just as hard a time with the ordeal she'd been through, and he was behind on his sleep as well. Once she'd drifted off, he wasn't too surprised to find himself being lulled to sleep with her heart beating under his hand and her soft breathing in his ear.


	103. 103

The smell of fresh coffee woke Carson from one of the soundest night's sleep he'd had in a long time. He opened his eyes, feeling lazy, and found Melony sitting on the edge of her bed with a mug of coffee in her hand. She was once more in full armor, which did nothing to make him less attracted to her, and if anything reminded him that she was the most exotic woman he'd ever known. And again, he wondered what she saw in him.

"Good morning," she told him cheerfully, taking a sip of the coffee before handing it to him once she was certain he was awake.

"Good morning." He tried the coffee, knowing that it'd be perfect – she was a past-Master at making a good cup of coffee, after all. She'd had plenty of practice. "You're up early."

She nodded.

"Things to do and people to see. But I thought I'd at least wake you up before I go."

"I'm glad you did."

He'd have time to get dressed and ready for the day's activities, as well, now. Melony had told him that Jack had told her to assemble the Jaffa in the command center – which wasn't going to be an easy thing to do – and he knew her next stop was going to be that very room, so she could decide where best to put them before they even arrived.

"I'll see you later, okay?"

He nodded, and watched as she left, her armor creaking with every motion.

OOOOOOOO

"Colonel Mitchell."

Melony hadn't gone far when Teal'c's deep voice stopped her, and she turned to see the Jaffa coming down the corridor towards her. He, too, was in full Jaffa armament; including a staff weapon that he was carrying as easily as a hunter might carry a shotgun.

"Teal'c. Did you get my message?"

Just because he was dressed up, it didn't mean she was going to assume anything. The Jaffa nodded, however.

"Indeed."

"And you're positive you want to do this?"

"It is a great honor."

She was glad someone thought so. But at least it was Teal'c, and he'd never call her his goddess, so that was a plus.

"It's my privilege to have you."

The Jaffa nodded.

"There are a few matters that I would like to speak of with you – at a later date."

"My door's always open, Teal'c. Remember that."

She was lucky he'd spent so much time with Jack. Tao would never have understood the phrase, and that thought made Melony ache again. She'd never minded explaining herself to her First Prime – and sometimes she got a kick out of saying something off the wall just to see the confusion in his normally stoic expression.

_There's nothing wrong with missing him, Hot Shot_, Talon told her, embracing her with his own love to take away the sting of loss – although it was already more bearable than she had thought it would be. Time _did_ heal things, after all, no matter what people thought. _I miss him, too_

"I will, Colonel Mitchell."

She frowned at the address.

"You know… you _could_ call me Melony…"

The Jaffa smiled slightly and shook his head.

"No, I cannot. However, if there is a title you would prefer I use besides your Military rank…"

No, of course he couldn't. She shrugged.

"Whatever you're happy with, Teal'c. Let's go see check out the command center. Jack wants the Jaffa assembled there at 0900."

"May I inquire as to the reason for this?"

"You _could_, but I don't have a clue, so you'll have to ask him."

With her new First Prime looming beside her, they walked down the corridors and headed towards the command center, ignoring the stares of those who hadn't seen her dressed like she was the day before.

_It doesn't hurt to have Teal'c as an accessory,_ Talon said, cheerfully. The symbiote was well aware of just how impressive the Jaffa looked – especially when most of the Atlanteans weren't all that used to Jaffa in the first place.

True

When they entered the command center, they startled a couple of folks as well. Not on purpose, of course, but Grodin and McKay were both surprised at the sudden arrival of the two – and Rodney was a little uncomfortable around Teal'c in any case.

Melony explained what they were doing there, and she and Teal'c stood at the top of the stairs, looking down at the room and mentally calculating just how much room they'd need for their 300 Jaffa, and how much room would be left for the others – presuming the others would be there as well.

OOOOOOOO

"Wow…"

Carson heard Rodney's sharp intake of breath as the two of them entered the command center and couldn't help but agree with the sentiment. The place was filled; Melony had her Jaffa at one side of the room, flanking the Stargate, each warrior standing at a stiff form of attention as they waited for whatever was to come. The Athosians were there, as were Kale and Char and the other Light Ones who had been at Atlantis helping during the Wraith ambush. Kale was no longer bandaged and his bruises were fading, but Char was still sporting the bandage on his hand and forearm – although he was in good spirits. The Light Ones were dressed once more in the clothing they'd worn to Tao's funeral.

The Atlanteans were in formation as well, on the other side of the room from the Jaffa. The scientists were wearing their best uniforms, and the Military men and women were in dress uniforms. Marines in their black and blue, Air Force in their blues, and all of them were at a stiff parade rest, waiting as well.

"Wonder what's going on?" Carson said, softly, walking over to stand beside Weir, who was near the top of the staircase, where she had a great view of those in formation below her.

"General O'Neill hasn't said," Weir told him, smiling a greeting at both of them. She was just as curious as the rest. "Has Colonel Mitchell mentioned anything to you?"

Beckett shook his head.

"I don't think she knows."

"Huh. That's odd. You'd think-"

She was interrupted by the opening of a door, and Colonel Mitchell walked into the room. The Jaffa came immediately to attention, their already rigid backs straightening further, their heads coming up and their staff weapons clanging dully as they acknowledged the arrival of their leader. Mitchell nodded her approval, but didn't say anything, instead coming over to stand alone on one side of the top of the staircase. A moment later, Jack O'Neill walked through the same door Mitchell had arrived through, and the Military staff all came to formal attention, not willing to be outdone by the Jaffa. Jack walked over and stood at the very top of the staircase.

"Corporal Pascal Sanchez. Front and center!"

Surprised at being called, Duck hesitated where he stood with the rest of the security teams in their dress uniforms, but only for a moment. He broke ranks and stepped forward, walking up the staircase and feeling as if every eye in the room was on him – which was the case. When he reached Jack, he saluted, and Jack returned it.

Jack looked over at his aide de camp and nodded, and the young Lieutenant handed him a piece of paper, which Jack already knew by heart.

"Corporal, in recognition of your contributions to Operation Wraith Hunt, the President of the United States of America has ordered that you be promoted to Sergeant, with all the responsibilities and privileges that accompany that rank."

As Jack was speaking, his Aide de camp was removing the insignia on Duck's uniform, and then handed Jack the insignia of a Sergeant, which Jack pinned onto the young man's collars. Then he smiled, as much because he actually enjoyed decorating people, and because of the utter surprise in the young man's expression.

"Congratulations, Sergeant."

Duck grinned.

"Thank you, sir."

Blushing a brilliant red, the young Sergeant descended the stairs and rejoined his friends, who slapped his back in congratulations, although their attention was still on the top of the staircase, since it was obvious that General O'Neill wasn't finished.

"Major John Sheppard. Front and center."

Sheppard looked over at Elizabeth, who smiled proudly, and then walked over to stand in front of O'Neill.

"Major, in recognition of your contributions to Operation Wraith Hunt, the President of the United States has ordered that you be promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, with all the responsibilities and privileges that accompany that rank."

Again, the insignias were removed from John's uniform by Jack's Aide de camp, and replaced by the General himself with the silver leaf of a Lieutenant Colonel, and Jack saluted him.

"Congratulations, Colonel."

Sheppard smiled, returning the salute.

"Thank you, sir."

Still smiling, he turned and walked back to his position, accepting the congratulations of those around him.

"_Operation Wraith Hunt_?" Weir whispered as he stopped beside her.

John smiled, still bemused by the sudden promotion.

"I suppose they had to call it something…"

Before she could say anything else, he turned his attention back to O'Neill, wondering what was next. Everyone else was watching as well, obviously wondering the same thing.


	104. 104

Well aware that he had everyone's attention now, Jack looked at those assembled around him, and those who knew him well couldn't miss the pride in his expression.

"I can't tell you how impressed I am with you all. You took on a race of creatures – I won't say _people_ because as far as I'm concerned the Wraith had no human in them – and you stood up to them. Not only that, but you defeated them. It took ingenuity, and courage, and most of all teamwork. None of you could have done it alone. Not the Jaffa for all their courage, or the scientists for all their smarts, or even the military with all their weapons. It took everything you all had, and I'm proud of you all."

Heads that had already been held high were even higher, and Melony couldn't help but be impressed by the speech. Jack wasn't someone you assumed to be eloquent like this, and it was obvious that he was beginning to pick up skills as a General that he hadn't needed as a Colonel.

_He's right, though_

I know.

"You Jaffa are heading home, now, I know," Jack continued, addressing the group assembled below him directly. "But know this; we could not have done this without your help. You were the ones brave enough to be the bait, with the courage to trust those you didn't know very well to pull you from the danger zone when it was time to leave. Atlantis would not be standing without your help, and I want you to know that you're always going to be welcomed here, and if you ever need anything from the people of the Tau'ri, all you need to do is ask. We'll be there for you like you were for us."

He drew himself to attention, and snapped a salute towards the Jaffa. An instant later, the rest of the military personnel in the room followed suit, and all of them saluted the Jaffa, while the scientists and visitors watched.

"Jaffa, _kree_!"

Talon's voice cut into the silence of the room, and the Jaffa snapped to attention as well, and three hundred clenched fists struck armored chests in a Jaffa salute as they returned the humans' acknowledgment.

Jack and the others finished their salute, and Jack took another step forward, this time looking at Kale and the rest of the Light Ones.

"You and your people have saved many lives," he said, addressing them all. "Including my own. I know that you only came here to help with the Wraith, but we'd like to keep in touch with your people, and like the Jaffa, you and your people are more than welcomed here in Atlantis – and _beyond_ the Stargate, if you wish to come for a visit – and if there is ever anything that we can do for you, just ask."

Kale nodded for all of the Light Ones. They had already been given what they wanted most, interaction with the humans on their world – and now other worlds. There was nothing more the Light One could think of that they might need.

"Thank you, General."

Jack nodded. There was more that he wanted to say to the Light Ones, including an invitation for them to send an ambassador to the SGC – or Atlantis, which ever they preferred – but that wasn't anything that needed to be said in such a formal setting.

"That is all, people. Thank you."

It was a dismissal, but Melony wasn't finished with her Jaffa, and she gestured for Teal'c to assemble the Jaffa in the auditorium immediately. Her First Prime nodded his compliance with her silent order and moved down the staircase as the rest of the people broke into smaller groups, talking about what had been said, and slapping Duck's shoulder and back with various congratulations.

Melony walked over to Jack, who was waving Fraiser away irritably. He was on his feet and he wasn't ready to concede that he needed to go back to bed any time soon – and he probably didn't.

"Nice speech."

He smiled.

"Thanks." He watched as Teal'c moved towards the Jaffa and gestured for them to follow him, commanding immediate obedience from them without even trying. "I see you and Teal'c had that conversation…"

She nodded, turning to watch the Jaffa as well.

"He's the best choice."

"Yeah."

Of course he was.

"When are you leaving?"

"Early afternoon – McKay's been calculating for me, and that'll make it mid morning at our destination – which will give the Jaffa time to disperse and get quarters to stay in while they wait for transportation back to the worlds they came from."

"But you'll be back…"

"Of course. And will you be here?"

Jack shook his head.

"Hammond's going nuts, and is counting the days until I get back to take control of the SGC once more."

"And will come looking for you if you take too long getting back…"

"Exactly."

She smiled, well able to imagine Hammond doing just that.

"Did he help you with your speech?"

"You _liked_ it, huh?"

"The promotions were well deserved – especially Sheppard – but why not Carter?"

"She _just_ made Lieutenant Colonel," Jack told her. "I couldn't justify it."

"_I_ wouldn't have minded a promotion…"

Jack snorted, knowing that she wasn't serious.

"You're already a system lord, Melony. The most powerful system lord _ever_ – with more Jaffa under your control than anyone has ever had in history. Not to mention you're a goddess and you have access to technology that makes Carter and McKay both drool. You don't need a promotion."

She scowled.

"But for all that, _you_ still outrank me…"

He smirked, and his eyes lit up with amusement.

"Isn't it great?"

She sniffed, and turned around, walking away with her nose in the air in mock aggravation, and Jack's chuckled followed her out of the room.

OOOOOOOO

She was still smiling, though, when she ran into Sheppard on her way to the auditorium. He was talking to Ford, who was obviously congratulating him on his promotion.

"_Colonel_ Sheppard…"

John smiled, preening just a little.

"Colonel Mitchell…"

"Congratulations on your promotion, it's well deserved."

"Thank you."

"Now, go get your hair cut, and I mean _today_. You're a Colonel and there's no reason for you to run around looking like one of the Beatles."

Ford snickered, and Sheppard nodded.

"I'll do it right away, Colonel."

"Good."

_You're so mean to him…_

He's going to be the permanent commander of the Atlantis – and as such, he needs to set an example for his men. It's not like I'm telling him to shave his head or anything.

Talon snorted, and Melony nodded goodbye to the two men. Her Jaffa were waiting, after all, and they needed to know that they had a new First Prime, even though they probably already suspected it from the way Teal'c had been assuming that position for the past day or so.


	105. 105

Elizabeth couldn't help the surprised expression on her face when Sheppard walked into the briefing room two hours later. Neither could Rodney McKay or Teyla – both of whom had been sitting at the table with her. Kale was there as well, but he was polite enough not to stare, and Daniel didn't even really notice the difference. He just assumed the Colonel had combed it.

"You got a hair cut…"

He ran his fingers through his hair – which was much shorter than it had been and was neat and tidy for about the first time in a year and a half. It wasn't even as short as General O'Neill's, but it _felt_ like he was bald.

"I got them _all_ cut."

She smiled.

"The price of command, I suppose."

"Yeah."

He looked at the others.

"No one else is here yet?"

Weir shook her head, but it was Teyla who spoke up.

"Colonel Mitchell and Teal'c are probably still speaking with the Jaffa…"

Since John knew that General O'Neill had last been seen in the infirmary arguing with the doctors about his release from their care, that pretty much accounted for everyone who General O'Neill had asked to join him in the briefing room for a meeting before Melony took off with the Jaffa.

He went over and sat next to Weir, who couldn't help but reach out and run her fingers through his hair.

"It looks good, John."

"Am I going to have to separate you two?"

They all turned and saw Melony walk into the room, Teal'c looming beside her, and Weir smiled.

"I'll try to control myself."

Mitchell grinned and walked over to the table, taking a spot across from Sheppard – although Teal'c moved to take the spot beside Teyla. Before Melony could ask where Jack was, though, the door opened once more, and Jack, Sam, Janet and Carson all walked into the room as well.

Weir watched as everyone paired up without even intending to do it; Carson walking over to sit beside Mitchell, while Carter and O'Neill sat in chairs next to each other. Even Janet Fraiser, who Weir didn't know very well, joined Daniel at the table, giving him a warm smile that was returned by one equally cheerful.

"Gang's all here?" Jack asked, taking control of the meeting immediately. A quick glance around the table when he'd walked in had been all he'd needed, and he was pleased that everyone had managed to make it in before him, since he hated to wait. "Good. I want to talk with you all before Melony leaves, and I want to make sure we're all on the same page."

While it was obvious Kale didn't understand the reference to pages, the Light One didn't say anything, knowing that if he had any questions he could ask them later.

Jack looked at Melony.

"How long are you planning on being gone?"

She shrugged.

"A week. Maybe more. Maybe less, though. It depends on what I decide to do about the Mok."

Rodney spoke up before Jack could reply.

"Actually, Colonel, I think we may have found just the spot for the Mok." He reached over and pulled the laptop that had been sitting in front of Weir over to himself, and hit a few keys before turning it to face Mitchell. "This is planet A-045. It's tropical on the southern hemisphere, temperate on the northern, and completely abandoned. There are forests, lakes, streams and a very good climate – from what we saw when we surveyed it."

Melony took the laptop from him, looking at the report. It was one of the planets she'd considered when she'd started her Wraith hunt in the first place, but had been so far down the list that she hadn't actually needed to visit it.

"No wild creatures that might pose a danger to the Mok?"

"Not that we know of – but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to do a more thorough check of the place if you decided to consider it."

"We could send a team there while you're gone," Sheppard offered. "Without the Wraith to worry about, there's not much out there we can't handle."

"I could send Char with you," Kale offered. "Or others. In our alternate forms we are very adept at finding other creatures – even if they are well camouflaged."

"Plus you'd have a bit of back up," Jack said, approvingly. The more he knew of the Light Ones, the more he liked them.

Sheppard nodded, as did Melony.

"Find out what you can about this place, Colonel," Melony said, leaning back in her chair. "I don't mind keeping the Mok on the Pegasus side of the Stargate – as long as they're in a safe place."

"You're going to bring Jaffa in, though, right?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." She looked at Teyla. "I was also thinking that there are a lot of planets that were attacked by the Wraith before we managed to stop them… planets where the people might need help getting things going again."

The Athosian nodded.

"I am certain there will be."

"What are you thinking?" Weir asked.

"You're going to use the Jaffa to help these folks rebuild?" Daniel asked.

Melony shrugged.

"Why not?" She asked. "They're well suited for helping, and they can bring in supplies to tide those over who don't have enough until their crops can grow – or they can get enough of their survivors together to regroup."

Teyla smiled.

"That is a wonderful idea, Colonel Mitchell."

"What are the Athosians going to do?" Elizabeth asked Teyla, curiously. "Go home?"

"Some might. Others are discussing remaining on the mainland. They have made homes there – homes which could easily become permanent. If they had permission to, that is."

Weir nodded.

"They're more than welcomed to stay. And those who left could always come to visit…"

"Well…" Jack said, running his hand idly along the surface of the table in front of him. "I guess that pretty much settles everything. Colonel Sheppard here will be running the military aspect of things here in Atlantis, but if there are any major decisions that you don't fee you can make, feel free to contact the SGC. We have those mini ZPMs, and Colonel Carter tells me that there is plenty of power in them so we won't have to worry about remaining in contact with each other."

"Yes, sir."

"When are you going back?" Melony asked Jack.

"Tomorrow. Probably. Once I see you and Teal'c safely on your way, and the doctors can be convinced that I'm healthy enough to resume my duties."

Melony nodded.

"I'll make sure that someone always knows where to find me in case you need me. At least until I get a new flagship built."

Fuglier wasn't going to be salvageable, so she was going to have to start over – but Talon was already making plans.

Jack nodded, and stood up, ending the meeting.

"That's it, folks. Thanks for coming."


	106. 106

The Jaffa were in formation and heading through the gate, their packs and equipment slung over one shoulder while their staff weapons were in the other, where they would be accessible in case they were needed. Even though they were heading into friendly territory and had no reason to believe an ambush or other situation was waiting for them, you didn't get to be an old Jaffa by not being prepared for anything, after all.

Watching them from the ground level, Ford and a small group of mixed Marines and Air Force personnel were standing at attention as they were making their way to the gate, more an honor guard than anything else, since the Jaffa weren't a threat to Atlantis – and never would be.

Melony and Teal'c stood at the top of the staircase watching, and Jack came up to stand between them, completely unaware that tradition dictated nothing and no one stand between a System Lord and her or his First Prime. Of course, had he known about it he wouldn't have cared, and neither Melony nor Teal'c minded – both were far from traditionalists themselves, after all.

"I expect postcards from you both," he said, watching the Jaffa and knowing that when the last of them went through the gate, Melony and Teal'c would go as well. And while they'd be returning to Atlantis in a relatively short time, it would probably be a while before Jack saw either of them.

"We'll send you care packages," Melony promised, smiling.

As soon as they explained what a care package was to Teal'c.

"Keep an eye on her for me, Teal'c."

"I will, O'Neill."

Jack nodded, and left the room, unwilling to watch them leave – he'd said goodbye to too many people in his time, and refused to draw it out by watching as the rest of the Jaffa filed out of Atlantis.

"They're going to be fine."

He turned and saw that Sam had followed him out of the room and into the empty hall.

"I know…"

She smiled, understanding.

"But you'll still worry about them."

"That's my job."

She moved up to him, and put her arms around him.

"Come here."

And he did. He rested his head on her shoulder, moving closer so that she could hug him tightly, and he held her for a long moment, taking comfort in her embrace. Yeah, Melony would be fine. She had Teal'c, after all, and look at how many times the big goober had saved Jack's life. Not to mention she had Talon, and Jack now knew intimately just how much that snake loved her.

Yeah, she'd be fine. But he'd still worry about her. Her and Teal'c both.

OOOOOOOO

"You'll be back soon?"

Teal'c and Melony both turned from watching the Jaffa, and saw Teyla had moved up to stand beside Teal'c. She wasn't watching the Jaffa, she was watching Teal'c, and right behind her was Carson, who looked like he'd been planning on asking the same question.

"Before you know it," Melony promised.

"Indeed," Teal'c agreed.

He and Melony had already discussed things, and the Jaffa knew that he was going to be doing a lot of gate hopping – even more than she was, most likely – but he'd have plenty of time for Teyla. For that matter, Teal'c and Melony would be relying on her to introduce them to those people living on planets that had already been culled by the Wraith. It'd be easier to get them to accept help if not all the people offering were strangers, after all.

Melony smiled at Carson.

"You'll help Colonel Sheppard?"

"Aye."

Carson was probably as much of an expert when it came to the Mok as anyone (he'd studied them as they'd been gathering them up into the Wraith ships, after all) and he'd offered to help Sheppard and McKay in their quest for a perfect home for the Mok.

She wanted to hug him, but she couldn't. Not just then. Luckily, he understood, and instead he settled for another smile.

"I'll see you soon."

"Yes."

The last of the Jaffa were heading through the gate, now, and Weir walked over, flanked by Rodney and Sheppard.

"Colonel?"

She handed Melony a small box.

"What's this?"

"New recognition codes," Rodney said, speaking up before Elizabeth could. "All the codes are going to be updated, since we expect there's going to be a lot of gate travel in the immediate future, and I figured you might as well get yours now."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

She looked at the gate once more. It was their turn to go; the Jaffa were all clear.

"We'll be back in about a week," she reminded them.

Elizabeth nodded.

"We'll have a fresh pot of coffee brewing."

_Ah, how well she knows you!_

Melony grinned.

"C'mon, Teal'c."

She turned and headed down the stairs, with Teal'c only a step behind her. As she passed Ford and his security team – complete with newly promoted Sergeant Sanchez – she tossed them a sketchy salute; one that was returned with huge smiles.

Then she and Teal'c were gone.

Carson sighed, and Elizabeth put an arm over his shoulder.

"Come on, Carson. No time for depression. We have work to do."

Places to go, people to see, Mok to transplant.

"Aye."

Plenty to do, and no Wraith breathing down their necks while they did it.


	107. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

"They're so soft…"

Melony nodded, unable to resist the urge to reach her hand out and run her fingers through the thick, silky fur of the Mok that was standing in front of her. With her were several other people – including two people that had just gated to A-35 to join up with the Mok expedition, now that the Mok had been reanimated and appeared to be getting on fairly well in their new home. Both were from Earth – sent by Jack (technically, Sam), one was a geneticist and the other a fertility specialist. They had offered their services in the very important task of getting the Mok to become an even more viable breeding colony than they already were. Especially since they had a grand total of sixteen babies on the planet – and Melony wanted a lot more.

So did the Jaffa, who were already setting up permanent residence on the planet. They were the ones chosen to come here – by way of Atlantis – to guard and nurture the Mok. Others would be coming in a rotating fashion (Melony wasn't going to keep anyone from seeing the rare creatures that wanted to see them, after all) but many would also be helping with other projects in the Pegasus galaxy. It wasn't like they didn't have plenty of Jaffa to go around, after all.

She turned her attention back to the geneticist who had spoken, watching as the man ran his fingers through the Mok's fur as well.

"Did Colonel Carter give you all the files we have on them?"

He nodded, smiling over at his companion, who was a small Asian woman. She was probably the shortest full-grown person Melony had ever seen, but had a list of initials behind her name that proved she was at least as smart as she was short.

"We have everything we need to get started," the geneticist assured her. "You'll be in contact if we have any questions, later? Or to get reports?"

She nodded.

"We're going to be offworld a lot, but the Jaffa will always be able to find us."

Teal'c hadn't taken long to choose his own Lieutenants and those Jaffa were now in charge of several of the new projects while Melony and her First Prime went out to meet the people living in the shattered planets that had been culled. At their sides were Teyla – who was their representative – and Carson, who was leading a team of medical personnel. They were the ones who were keeping people from fearing the Jaffa until such a time as the shell-shocked inhabitants of each world overcame their nervousness at having large, unsmiling and noticeably dangerous non-humans looming over them. And they were doing a great job – far better than Melony ever could have hoped for.

What she hadn't counted on, though, were the response of those people once they heard the news of the defeat of the Wraith. She'd expected distrust (until the news could be confirmed through other sources), of course, and she'd expected relief once it had been, but she hadn't expected them to lay the success directly at her feet, and she hadn't expected these folks to start looking towards her (and Talon) as saviors. And worse, they were being affected by the close dealings with the Jaffa, who were more than willing to share the fact that Talon/Melony was their goddess. There was a change in the air on several worlds, and Melony was reluctantly gathering more and more people under her proverbial wing.

_They need something to believe in,_ Talon had told her. _We'll wean them away while we work on the Jaffa…_

Which was going to take some time, of course. With the discovery of the long thought extinct Mok, Melony had taken a huge leap in the eyes of the Jaffa, who had already believed her incapable of doing wrong.

"Melony!"

She turned at the call, startled out of her inner thoughts, and saw Carson coming toward her – with Rodney walking beside him. Excusing herself from the scientists, she walked over to meet them, smiling.

"Rodney. How's it going?"

"Well, thank you. How are your Mok liking their new home?"

She smiled, because there was a definite smugness in his voice and attitude – one that she couldn't blame him for having. He had, after all, picked out the planet for them to be reanimated on. And it was turning out to be the perfect place.

"They're settling in nicely."

"So I see."

He'd had a chance to look around a little while he'd been brought to meet her, and there were Mok everywhere. The huge creatures were allowed to roam wherever they wanted to, while the Jaffa and the scientists (from Earth and other worlds) watched to see what patterns would develop with them.

"Jack's promised me a few more scientists, but we have a good start, now, and they're telling me that they'll be able to figure out what makes the Mok tick – and hopefully we'll have a whole bunch of little Mok running around soon."

"Is Colonel Carter coming?" He asked, curiously.

Melony shook her head.

"I have another assignment for Colonel Carter – one that she was more than willing to take. The same one I was going to offer you – if you're up for a challenge?"

"Like taking on the Wraith _wasn't_ a challenge?"

"Are you saying no?"

He scowled.

"I'm not saying _no_. How can I say no until you tell me what it is you want me to do?"

Besides, he was pretty sure that Carter wanted him. It was just a matter of getting some alone time with her – away from O'Neill and everyone else – and giving her the chance to realize it. This could be the perfect opportunity.

Melony smiled.

"Due to circumstances that were… well… more or less necessary, I find myself without a personal space craft. Sam has offered to see if she can marry the Wraith technology to the Ancient technology, throw in a lot of Goa'uld technology and try to modify a Jumper into a completely new kind of craft. She said she could use a little help. Interested?"

"She asked for _me_, specifically?"

Ha! He _knew_ it! Why wouldn't she prefer a genius like him to someone like O'-

"She asked for _help_," Melony repeated. "You're one of the smartest people I know, so I thought I'd ask if you were interested. Are you?"

"Of course."

Not only was he preening at her compliment, but he'd have a chance to get to know the Wraith technology a lot better, and also Goa'uld technology, which was nothing to sneeze at, and see how many possibilities they could come up with when it came to putting all of them together with some Earth ingenuity.

"Good. Talon and I are excited at the thought of having-"

"Why a _Jumper_?" Rodney asked, interrupting. "Why not a dart? They're faster than the Jumpers, and more maneuverable, right?"

Melony smiled.

"A Jumper can hold more than one person."

_And you're tired of walking alone?_

_I haven't been alone in a long time_, she told her symbiote with a rush of affection for him. One that he echoed and sent back to her.

_But you wouldn't mind having_ more _company?_

He sent her a not so subtle image of the doctor who was standing at her side, listening to the conversation between her and McKay.

He'll keep me warm at night, she said silently, keeping the smile off her face, although she couldn't help reaching out and brushing a hand against Carson's lower back, where Rodney wouldn't see the caress.

Talon snorted, but didn't say anything else, but he didn't have to.

"When would you like to get started?" McKay asked, unaware of the conversation he was missing. "I mean, I have several projects going with the shielding devices that the Ancients left behind on Atlantis, and one with the miniature ZPMs that I can wait on, but I'll need to-"

"Whenever you're ready, Rodney," Melony said, interrupting. "I'm in no real hurry. But Sam said she could start next week."

"Next week is fine," McKay said, quickly.

"Great. I'll let her know."

Melony started to turn to head back to the Mok, but Rodney raised a hand to stop her.

"_I_ could tell her. She'll probably want to get together and prepare some drawings, or specs, and we'll want to-"

She heard another purely mental snort, but ignored it.

"Whatever you want. Just make sure you keep me informed."

She wasn't going to let him have carte blanche when it came to her new ship, after all, and there would be a lot of things that her and Talon would want to add to any design that Sam and McKay might come up with. But for now, she had plenty on her plate to worry about, and the ship was one of the least important. At least at the moment. You never knew when you might want to go somewhere, after all.

**The End!**

_Okay! So, this is the end! I know it was long, but there was a lot to tell, and I love the telling, I assure you. Let me know what you thought, please. Hated it? Liked it? It was okay? Thanks for reading it!_


End file.
